The Peasants’ Revolt led by Wat Tyler in 1381 was sparked by a series of unpopular taxes.
The Peasants' Revolt led by Wat Tyler in 1381 was sparked by a series of unpopular taxes.
The first had been imposed four years earlier and demanded a groat (four pennies) from every adult.
This was followed in 1379 by a graded tax that ran from a groat for the poor to ten marks (a little over 13 shillings in medieval money) for the rich.
The officials of the 14-year-old King Richard II tried to soften the blow by saying that in each district the rich should help the poor to pay the tax.
Large numbers of people tried to evade payment, but tax collectors were sent to their homes to take the money by force.
The heavy-handed tactics backfired — and in 1381 protests began among the peasants in Essex, Kent and other rural areas.
They soon became riots involving looting, arson and murder.
The Kent rebels chose as their leader Walter Tyler, known as Wat, who was from the gentry.
In fact many of the rioters were reasonably well-off men and women who had scores to settle against local officials.
The other leaders of the revolt were Jack Straw, about whom little is known, and the former clerics John Wrawe and John Ball.
On June 7, Tyler and his followers took control of Canterbury, opened Maidstone Jail and marched towards London.
Just under a week later Tyler’s men met the Essex peasants outside London and stormed into the city at Aldgate.
The rebels burned John of Gaunt’s London palace, along with Fleet Prison and a hospital.
On June 15 the young King rode to Mile End to hear the rebels’ demands.
Tyler stood before the King and asked for the scrapping of the poll tax, abolition of serfdom and the right to rent land at four pence an acre.
During the conference Tyler argued with one of the King’s valets and drew a knife. William Walworth, mayor of London, intervened and Tyler was killed.
His body was carried to a hospital. But it was found by Walworth who had the corpse dragged out and beheaded.
Meanwhile the peasants agreed to disperse after the King promised to grant their demands.
Once the danger had passed the King changed his mind.
There were a few further outbreaks of trouble among the peasantry throughout June and July, but by the end of the summer the great Peasants’ Revolt was over.
