The Hidden Hand

The Guilds and Livery Companies of the City of London.

Following on from my recent post The Pilgrims, I wanted to examine the City of London Corporation, often referred to as “The City” in more detail. I found there exists an invisible power working behind it’s many institutions, directing and manipulating events in order to dominate world trade and commerce. But who actually are these men who desire world dominion?

“The City of London Corporation is the oldest continuous democratic commune in the world. Two thousand years of self-government is quite an achievement. For no one to really notice is perhaps the greatest achievement of all.”¹

In brief, it’s origins begin with the Roman Empire’s conquest of Britain, when Roman legions established a settlement known as Londinium on the current site of the City of London, around AD 43.²

Following the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror marched on London, but failed to defeat the Londoners. A truce was reached wherein London was granted special rights and privileges by the king, in return for their recognition of the sovereignty of the ruling monarch. This agreement marked the commencement of London’s special status as we know it.

The City of London is governed by a series of charters from c. 1132, charters in which sovereigns of England granted to the City of London many Crown privileges – in return for generous loans and sums of money.³

The City’s independence from Crown rule was reaffirmed under clause 13 of the 1215 Magna Carta, stating: “The city of London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free customs, both by land and by water. We also will and grant that all other cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall enjoy all their liberties and free customs.”⁴