Free Republic

In the long catalog of uprisings against tyranny, one chapter often overlooked — but no less instructive — is the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. Though distant in time, the cause and character of that revolt echo loudly in our present condition: oppressive taxation, ruinous foreign wars, and a government grown unaccountable to the people it purports to serve. We would do well to remember that the flames of rebellion are not kindled in a day. They are fanned over time by injustice, arrogance, and a persistent disregard for the natural rights of man. The uprising of 1381 was no...

Delve into the story of the Peasants Revolt of 1381, a bloody uprising of the common people. In this Patreon voted video Kevin Hicks looks at the reasons behind the Peasants Revolt and reveals the dramatic events that shaped this pivotal moment in the fight for social justice.

The 13th June marks the anniversary of the day Wat Tyler led the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 into London. The English capital descended into chaos as the peasants burnt and looted the city, cementing the revolt as the most significant peasant uprising in the feudal period of English history. Originating in the South-East of England, it was when the revolt reached London that its significance became apparent. The peasants went on to capture the Tower of London, a feat which had never been done before. Two powerful figures, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the King’s Treasurer, were killed by the...