30th May 1381: Outbreak of the Peasants' Revolt in England

Summary

On May 30, 1381, the Peasants' Revolt erupted in England due to the introduction of a new poll tax. Originating in Essex, the revolt was fueled by social and economic turmoil following the Black Death, which had halved the population. Peasants demanded better wages and conditions, but the government's attempts to limit these and fund the Hundred Years War with France through taxes led to widespread resentment. The revolt began when villagers refused to pay the tax and attacked officials. It quickly spread, with Wat Tyler emerging as a leader. The revolt reached London, where Tyler presented demands to Richard II, but was killed, leading to the revolt's collapse.

Takeaways

• 📅 The Peasants' Revolt in England was triggered on May 30, 1381.
• 💼 John Bampton's arrival in Essex to investigate the non-payment of the poll tax sparked the revolt.
• 🔍 The revolt had deeper roots in the social and economic upheaval following the Black Death.
• 😷 The Black Death, which reached England in 1348, wiped out up to half of the country's population.
• 💪 Surviving peasants demanded better wages and conditions after the plague.
• 🤬 Resentment grew against the government's attempts to limit wage increases.
• 💸 Taxes introduced to fund the Hundred Years War with France aggravated the situation.
• 👑 Richard II was only 10 years old when he inherited the throne in 1377.
• 🏛️ The third poll tax passed by Parliament in 1380 made the situation volatile.
• 🚨 The revolt spread quickly from Essex to Kent and reached London in mid-June.
• 🗣️ Wat Tyler emerged as the leader of the Kentish rebels and presented demands to Richard II on June 15.
• ⚔️ Wat Tyler was killed by the Royal party at Smithfield, leading to the collapse of the revolt.

Q & A

What event triggered the Peasants' Revolt in England in 1381?

The Peasants' Revolt was triggered by the arrival of John Bampton in Essex to investigate the non-payment of the poll tax.

What was the root cause of the Peasants' Revolt?

The roots of the Peasants' Revolt lay in the social and economic upheaval that emerged after the devastation of the Black Death, which had wiped out up to half of England's population.

How did the surviving peasantry respond to the aftermath of the Black Death?

The surviving peasantry demanded better wages and conditions, growing increasingly angry at the government's attempts to limit such changes.

What was the purpose of the taxes introduced by the government during this period?

The taxes were introduced to fund the English campaign against France in the Hundred Years War.

How old was Richard II when he inherited the throne?

Richard II was only 10 years old when he inherited the throne in 1377.

What was the situation like by the time the third poll tax was passed in 1380?

By the time the third poll tax was passed in 1380, the situation was incredibly volatile with many people, especially in the southeast, refusing to pay.

What was the reaction of the villagers when John Bampton arrived to investigate the non-payment of the poll tax?

The villagers were determined not to pay any further taxes and violence broke out after officials attempted to arrest their leader.

How did the revolt spread geographically?

The revolt quickly spread from Essex to Kent and beyond, with tax collectors and landlords being attacked and tax records and registers being destroyed.

Who emerged as the leader of the Kentish rebels during the Peasants' Revolt?

Wat Tyler emerged as the leader of the Kentish rebels after rejecting a series of royal charters granted at Mile End.

What happened on the 15th of June when the rebels reached London?

On the 15th of June, Wat Tyler presented a comprehensive set of demands to Richard II at Smithfield.

How did the Peasants' Revolt begin to collapse?

The revolt began to collapse after Wat Tyler was attacked and killed by members of the Royal party at Smithfield.

Outlines

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🏺 Peasants' Revolt of 1381

The Peasants' Revolt of 1381 in England was ignited by John Bampton's arrival in Essex to investigate the non-payment of the poll tax. The revolt had deeper roots in the social and economic turmoil following the Black Death, which had killed half of England's population. Peasants demanded better wages and conditions, but the government's attempts to limit these changes led to growing resentment. This was further exacerbated by taxes imposed to fund the Hundred Years War against France. Richard II's young age and his government's decision to introduce a new poll tax led to the situation becoming volatile. The revolt began in Essex, spread to Kent, and reached London in June, where Wat Tyler emerged as a leader. He presented demands to Richard II, but was killed by the Royal party at Smithfield, marking the beginning of the revolt's collapse.

Keywords

💡Peasants Revolt

The Peasants Revolt, also known as the Wat Tyler Rebellion, was a major uprising in England in 1381. It was a response to social and economic issues, particularly the imposition of poll taxes. The revolt is a central theme of the video, illustrating the discontent among the lower classes towards the ruling authorities. The video narrates how the revolt began in Essex and spread, highlighting the role of Wat Tyler as a leader.

💡Poll Tax

A poll tax is a tax that is levied as a fixed amount per person. In the context of the video, the poll tax was a significant contributor to the Peasants Revolt. The script mentions the introduction of a new poll tax as a trigger for the revolt, showing how the tax was deeply resented by the peasants who were already suffering from the aftermath of the Black Death.

💡Black Death

The Black Death refers to one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, which reached England in 1348. It resulted in the death of up to half of the country's population. The video uses the Black Death to set the stage for the Peasants Revolt, explaining how the surviving peasantry demanded better wages and conditions after the plague, which led to increased tensions with the government.

💡John Bampton

John Bampton was an official who arrived in Essex to investigate the non-payment of the poll tax. His arrival and the subsequent events are depicted in the video as a catalyst for the revolt. The script describes how Bampton and his clerks were met with resistance by villagers, leading to violence and the start of the revolt.

💡Essex

Essex is a county in England where the initial spark of the Peasants Revolt took place. The video uses Essex as a geographical anchor for the start of the revolt, emphasizing how the situation was incredibly volatile there, with many people refusing to pay the new tax.

💡Kent

Kent is another county in England that played a significant role in the Peasants Revolt. The video mentions how the revolt quickly spread from Essex to Kent, with Wat Tyler emerging as a leader of the Kentish rebels, illustrating the widespread nature of the uprising.

💡Richard II

Richard II was the King of England at the time of the Peasants Revolt. The video highlights that he was only 10 years old when he inherited the throne in 1377, indicating a period of potential political instability. His government's decision to introduce the poll tax is directly linked to the revolt, as explained in the script.

💡Hundred Years War

The Hundred Years War was a series of conflicts between England and France. The video mentions that taxes were introduced to fund the English campaign against France, which contributed to the financial burden on the peasants and their eventual revolt.

💡Wat Tyler

Wat Tyler is a central figure in the Peasants Revolt, as depicted in the video. He is presented as the leader of the Kentish rebels who rejected royal charters and presented demands to Richard II. Tyler's death at Smithfield is a pivotal moment in the video, marking the beginning of the revolt's collapse.

💡Smithfield

Smithfield is a location in London where Wat Tyler was attacked and killed by members of the Royal party. The video uses Smithfield as a key setting for the turning point in the revolt, illustrating the violent suppression of the rebellion by the authorities.

💡Royal Charters

Royal Charters are formal grants issued by a monarch. In the context of the video, the charters granted at Mile End are mentioned as an attempt to pacify the rebels, which were rejected by Wat Tyler. This rejection underscores the depth of the peasants' dissatisfaction and their determination to see their demands met.

Highlights

Peasants' Revolt triggered in England on 30th of May 1381

John Bampton's arrival in Essex to investigate poll tax non-payment

Introduction of a new poll tax sparked the revolt

Roots of the revolt lay in social and economic upheaval post-Black Death

The Black Death reached England in 1348, wiping out up to half of the population

Surviving peasantry demanded better wages and conditions after the plague

Government attempts to limit wage changes angered the peasantry

Introduction of taxes to fund the Hundred Years War with France

Richard II was only 10 years old when he inherited the throne in 1377

Third poll tax passed by Parliament in 1380 led to volatile situation

Many people in southeast England refused to pay the new tax

Government began investigating non-payers, leading to revolt

Violence broke out as officials attempted to arrest a leader in Essex

Revolt spread from Essex to Kent and beyond, targeting tax collectors and landlords

Tax records and registers were destroyed during the revolt

Crowds reached London in mid-June, led by Wat Tyler

Wat Tyler presented a set of demands to Richard II on 15th of June

Wat Tyler was killed by Royal party, marking the start of the revolt's collapse

Transcripts

[Music]

hello and welcome to history pod on the

30th of May 1381 the peasants revolt was

triggered in England when John Bampton

arrived in Essex to investigate the

non-payment of the poll tax

although sparked by the introduction of

a new poll tax the roots of the peasants

revolt lay in the dramatic social and

economic upheaval that it emerged after

the devastation of the Black Death the

plague had reached England in 1348 and

soon wiped out up to half of the entire

population of the country in the

aftermath the surviving peasantry had

demanded better wages and conditions so

grew increasingly angry at the

government's attempts to limit such

changes this resentment was aggravated

by the introduction of taxes to fund the

English campaign against France in the

Hundred Years War richard ii was only 10

years old when he inherited the throne

in 1377 and his government forged ahead

with the introduction of a new poll tax

by the time Parliament passed the third

poll tax in 1380 the situation was

incredibly volatile many people

especially those in the southeast of the

country simply refused to pay this

prompted the government to begin

investigating those who had not paid the

new tax John Bampton and his clerks were

greeted by a crowd of villagers

determined not to pay any further taxes

and after the officials attempted to

arrest their leader violence broke out

the revolt quickly spread from Essex to

Kent and beyond

tax collectors and landlords were

attacked while tax records and registers

were destroyed by the time the crowds

reached London in mid-june what Tyler

had emerged as leader of the Kentish

rebels after rejecting a series of royal

charters granted at Mile End the

previous day Tyler presented a

comprehensive set of demands to Richard

on the 15th of June Smithfield Tyler was

later attacked and killed by members of

the Royal party heralding the start of

the collapse

of the revolt

[Music]

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