Under the Tudors, London was a vibrant, growing city, whose population quadrupled during the course of the sixteenth century, despite devastating epidemics. It was by far the largest city in the country; the centre of government and the principal residence of the royal court; a thriving port that was also the focus of inland trade, with a range of manufacturing and service trades; the arena where the gentry and newly rich mercantile classes paraded their affluence; and the hub of English cultural life.The mid-Tudor period saw the far-reaching changes brought by the Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries, with the accompanying persecutions, and there was fighting in the streets during attempted coups. Yet it grew remorselessly and became so dominant that the government introduced measures to try to prevent its further expansion. The Tudor era was a boisterous and enthralling phase in the rise to greatness of this enduringly fascinating city.