Medieval Origins of Coronations
Gone Medieval
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The Anglo-Saxon Coronation of William the Conqueror
In Anglo-Saxon England there was no automatic right of succession for the oldest son of a king. A king was elected from the pool of throne worthy candidates that might include the old king's sons but also his brothers and nephews. William certainly didn't consider himself an elected monarch in 1066 yet somehow this remained. The other five points are yours if you knew that William the Conqueror's coronation saw London set on fire because his guards thought a riot had broken out inside Westminster Abbey. This happened because of this nod to the elective element of English kingship.
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