Peasants' Revolt

By History And Culture Media

2/16/2025

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381: Causes, Events, and Impact

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, also known as Wat Tyler’s Rebellion, was a major uprising of peasants and urban workers in England. Sparked by oppressive taxes and social injustices, it challenged the medieval feudal system and signaled growing tensions in late medieval society.

Causes of the Peasants’ Revolt

Poll Tax

The immediate trigger was the poll tax of 1381, a flat tax levied per person regardless of income. This was the third such tax in four years, designed to fund the ongoing Hundred Years’ War against France.

Economic Pressures After the Black Death

The Black Death (1347–1351) reduced England’s population by nearly half, increasing labor demand. Peasants sought higher wages, but the Statute of Labourers (1351) froze wages at pre-plague levels, fueling resentment.

Feudal Oppression

Many peasants were still tied to their manors under serfdom, facing labor services and restrictions on their freedom. Growing literacy and economic confidence among peasants and artisans led to greater demands for rights.

John Ball’s Radical Preaching

The radical priest John Ball preached equality, challenging the existing social order with slogans such as:

“When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?”

Major Events of the Revolt

Outbreak in Essex and Kent

The revolt began in Essex in May 1381 and quickly spread to Kent. Rebels gathered under Wat Tyler, a charismatic leader who organized the march on London.

March on London

In June 1381, thousands of peasants entered London, where they:

Attacked symbols of royal authority.
Destroyed legal records at the Temple Inns of Court.
Executed unpopular officials, including Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Robert Hales, Lord Treasurer.

Meeting with King Richard II

On June 14, 1381, King Richard II, only 14 years old, met the rebels at Mile End, promising to abolish serfdom and reduce taxes. However, tensions remained.

Death of Wat Tyler

The next day, during further negotiations at Smithfield, Wat Tyler was killed by William Walworth, Mayor of London, after an altercation. With their leader dead, the rebels lost momentum.

Suppression of the Revolt

Richard II revoked his concessions and ordered the suppression of the revolt. Rebel forces dispersed, and leaders were hunted down and executed, including John Ball.

Consequences of the Peasants’ Revolt

Short-Term Failure

The revolt failed to achieve its immediate aims. Serfdom was not abolished at the time, and taxes continued, though the poll tax was abandoned.

Long-Term Impact

Despite its failure, the revolt demonstrated the power of collective action. Over the following decades:

Serfdom gradually declined in England, as labor shortages continued to empower peasants.
The ruling classes became wary of imposing heavy taxes without considering popular discontent.
The revolt influenced later English popular movements, including the Levellers in the 17th century.

Social and Cultural Legacy

The Peasants’ Revolt entered English cultural memory as an early struggle against injustice and feudal oppression, symbolizing demands for freedom, fairness, and dignity.

Conclusion

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was a landmark event in medieval English history. Though suppressed brutally, it marked the beginning of the end for serfdom and highlighted growing tensions between the ruling elite and common people, foreshadowing the profound social changes of the early modern period.