Peasants Revolt 1381
the beginning of ideas about freedom
There are times when people finally decide they’ve had enough.
If you were a peasant in the 14th century, you were as nothing to the Lord of the land. He owned everything, including you. He saw you as a worker ant, with no pity or sympathy for your ragged clothing and hungry children. Your life or death was of no consequence.
Your Lord even had the right to de-flower your pretty young bride before your wedding night. This was called the Droit de Seigneur — the Lord’s right.
At the time, England was ruled by a young fourteen-year-old lad, Richard II. England was at war with France and it wasn’t going well. When kings and nobles needed money to finance wars, they turned to the poorest people in the land — the peasants.
There had already been much suffering because of the pandemic known as the Black Death, which killed around 25 million Europeans. Some estimates place the death toll even higher.
This led to a shortage of workers. As an average, one in three people died. The ones who remained had to do triple the work for their Lord. Not surprisingly, they expected some rise in their status. Surely they’d be valued and respected now?
Not a chance. Plebs. Serfs. Nobodies.
With the war going badly, more money was needed and a poll tax was introduced. This was money each individual had to pay.
On top of all the troubles they had, this was the last straw. Rebellion began to bubble up.
Three names became prominent during this uprising. The leader and ex-soldier, Wat Tyler (Walter the tiler) who lived in Kent, southern England; a fiery priest by the name of John Ball, whipping up rebellion with fiery speeches, and a man called Jack Straw who took it upon himself to lead the revolt in Essex, near London.
They were not complaining about poverty or living conditions; these men wanted to be seen as more than mere labourers. They wanted freedom, equality and a fairer distribution of wealth. (Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité — now where have I heard that before? Ah yes, the French Revolution of 1789. Plus ça change, eh?)
Richard II was a young king with a slick, lying tongue. He agreed to meet the rebels who had marched to London.
Almost immediately, Wat Tyler was attacked and murdered by the Mayor of London, William Walworth.
The king, anxious to put an end to the riots, promised all kinds of things he was never going to deliver, but the people took him at his word and dispersed.
Whereupon, government troops searched towns and villages and executed anyone who had taken part in the rebellion.
Thus the revolt was crushed.
However, the King had to concede some victories to the peasants. The poll tax was withdrawn, I suppose because it was plainly evident these people could not afford to pay.
The rebellion must have given the ruling classes pause. They now realised they could not push the peasants too far.
The Black Death had killed so many people which meant that those who were left, workers for the kings and nobles, had much more leverage. When they asked for more money, the ruling classes were forced to give in.
Slowly, more and more freedom was gained.
Freedom. Arguably the most valuable and precious possession we have.
