English Peasants Revolt

In 1381 poll taxes and labor repression ignited the largest popular rising in English history, bringing rebel armies into London under Wat Tyler and John Ball.

Overview

The Black Death had made labor scarce, but the Statute of Labourers capped wages while landlords revived feudal dues. Three poll taxes in four years proved the final trigger. Rebels across Essex and Kent freed prisoners, burned manorial records, and marched on London, where they destroyed the Savoy Palace and opened the prisons. At Smithfield the young Richard II met the rebels and promised concessions, but Wat Tyler was cut down by the mayor of London and the rising collapsed. Despite its failure, the revolt hastened the decline of serfdom and entered legend through preacher John Ball question of when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman.