With Brexit, a new phase in rocky relationship between UK and Europe
Photo: isidre65, Flickr.com
After 34 years, the United Kingdom says bye-bye to the European Union. With the triggering of Article 50, the result of the 2016 referendum has gone from a standpoint to the real deal. How the future relationship between UK and the continent is going to shape up is unknown, but this might be a good time to look back at the rocky relationship between the two.
The British Isles have been influenced by the European continent ever since the Romans arrived in 43 AD. Settling on the brinks of the Thames river, the Romans started building Londinium, the ancient city of which evidence is still found from time to time. When constructing the new Elizabeth Line, archeologists found several artefacts dating back to the Romans and at the Guildhall in the City of London, an amphitheatre was unearthed in 1985.
After the Romans left, following the fall of the Roman Empire, Anglo-Saxons settled in London and the city started to develop into what we know today, with occasional invasions from the Vikings and Normans. But throughout its history, the city has been shaped by immigration from Europe, like the French hugenots in the 1600s. However, it was not only the nationality of the citizens of London which has been affected be Europe, but the royal family as well.
With the European royals been a very intertwined group, who ruled France or Spain was felt across the English Canal, and the position as king or queen was often tied into the international politics at that time. Whoever was the inhabitant of Buckingham Palace also had a great impact on which religion was considered the "right one" and many riots and war has been fought throughout British history between Catholics and Protestants.
By now it's almost a fact that the discussion of immigration to UK was a key part of the outcome of the referendum. Historically, London and the UK has been shaped by its proximity to Europe and the UK-EU relationship post-Brexit will be a new milestone.
