Power and the people - peasants revolt Flashcards
what was the black death
a plague brought to europe from italian traders
1/3 of englands population died from it, including many peasants
what was the statute of labourers (1351)
a law preventing peasants from moving around to their own advantage
limited wages to pre plague levels
what did the peasants do after the black death
asked for more money
moved to places where pay and conditions were better
what happened between 1377 and 1379
70% of all cases brought before justices of the peace were due to peasants breaking the statute of labourers
how did richard III rule affect the peasants
young and inexperienced and easily influenced by JOHN OF GAUNT
john pushed richard to raise taxes so peasants were unhappy as alongside the stature they were losing money
what was the poll tax
a flat amount everyone over the age of 15 had to pay regardless of wealth
what was happening to the poll tax
it started getting levied every year
quadrupled the amount owed
why did richard III need so much money
hundred year war was dragging on
couldn’t raise taxes unless parliament agreed
what was going on in the church with the peasants
john wycliffe and john ball started preaching the church was exploiting peasants
preached sale of indulgences for the forgiveness of sins was unfair
what does the quote “when adam delved and eve span who then was the nobleman” mean
in the bible there were no noblemen and god created all men equal
what affect did john balls adam and eve quote have
encouraged peasants to resist what the king was doing
gained a lot of momentum with people who were unhappy with the system
uprisings in kent and essex
what happened on the 30th of May in Fobbing
soldiers turn up to support john bampton (tax collector) who was collecting poll tax
peasants refuse to pay and threaten bamptons life
villages hide in the woods
what happened on the 2nd of june in brentwood
rebels from other villages join forces
chief justice is sent to finish bamptons job, men threaten him with death
chief justice leaves, men find bamptons clerks and behead them
start setting fire to houses of bampton supporters
what happened on 7th june in maidstone
peasants in kent march to maidstone
hear wat tyler speak and make him their leader
free john ball from prison
storm rochester
destroy tax records by burning government buildings
what happened on 12th june in bishopsgate
men set up camp on outskirts of london a walls
king sails to meet peasants
richard II agrees to meet rebelsnon 17 june
what happened on 13th june in the city of london
rebels enter city gates (opened by supporters)
storm savoy palace and burn it
kill foreign merchants + supports of king
wat tyler gives specific orders to be peaceful
what happened on 14th june at mile end
wat tyler meets king and outlines peasants demands
king is to give royal pardon the all involves and villeins are to be made freeman
king agrees and peasants go home
some peasants go on killing spree and kill archbishop of canterbury
what happened on 15th june at smithfield
richard meets rebels again
tyler refuses to leave until king agrees
wants church lands to be given to people and bishops to be rid of bar one
king agrees
one kingsmen kills tyler
peasants follow king out of london
what was the impact of the revolt
poll tax never used again in medieval period
wage limits of statutes not enforced
some peasants could buy and farm own land
within 100 years all peasants became freemen
