For Queen And Country

Royal Salute's fame as a whisky brand is deeply entrenched in the history of the British Royal Family.

- SUFFIAN HAKIM

IN THE YEAR 1066, William, the Duke of Normandy, became the first Norman king of England when he led forces from Normandy into England to fill the power vacuum left by England’s last king, Edward the Confessor, William’s first cousin once removed who died in January that year heirless.

In what has come to be known as the Norman Conquest, King William defeated the Anglo-Saxon forces of Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1966, nine months after Edward’s death. Consequently, he was recast as William the Conqueror.

During his reign, he attempted to solidify power in various ways, including the widespread building of castles. Providing military strongholds, administrative centres, and visible symbols of Norman authority, these were crucial to consolidating Norman control over England.

Originally, many were motte-and-bailey structures, which William favoured for their quick construction and strategic effectiveness. He built some of the United Kingdom’s most famous castles, including Windsor Castle, Dover Castle, and Warwick Castle.

There was also the White Tower, perhaps the most famous of them all as it was built around the Tower of London. Constructed out of stone from Caen, Normandy, it was once a royal residence and a military fort with walls up to 4.5 centimetres thick.

During the Medieval Era, it underwent major expansions under Henry III (1216–1272) and Edward I (1272–1307), transforming it into a formidable fortress. The former added stone curtain walls and defensive towers, including the Wakefield, Lantern, and Martin Towers, while Edward I built the infamous Traitors’ Gate and improved the surrounding moat, both accessible from the River Thames.