The True Story Behind the Bloody Peasants' Revolt of 1381

The 14th Century is often called the worst century in the whole of British history - plague, war and famine! And amidst all this chaos, the first recorded act of public rebellion in English history sent revolutionary ripples across the entire medieval world. This uprising is remembered as the “Peasants Revolt” of 1381, but now History Hit’s medieval expert, Matt Lewis, looks beyond the ancient propaganda in this new 3-part series which reveals the previously unknown stories of the ordinary folk of the Peasants' Revolt.
Matt and the History Hit team have been working closely with investigative historians from the groundbreaking 1381 Project, The People of 1381 who have found documents that highlight the revolt as the first popular manifesto for a better society.
These films reveal that this extraordinary rebellion lit the flames of revolutionary change stretching across the whole of England and beyond, reverberating far past those hot summer days of 1381.
Watch Part III on History Hit TV: access.history...
Find out more about the amazing People of 1381 project: www.1381.online/
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#historyhit #peasantsrevolt #medievalhistory

[@mcgregorpiper]

Talk about perfect timing. There might be a modern Peasants’ Revolt occurring at the moment

[@dpaelliott]

Looks like The Peasants Revolt 2.0 is going on right now in Britain.

[@offthedeepend3996]

The Peasants Revolt of 2024.

[@SpiritGirlSF]

Yet they've made it easier and harder to do at the same time. How complicit are the powers that be in initiating this one on purpose to cause chaos? They want to do it in the US too.

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

D: "Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help, help, I'm bein' repressed!" A: "Bloody peasant!" D: "Oh, what a giveaway! Did you see that? Did you see him repressin' me? You saw it, didn't you?..."

[@djquinn11]

Monty Python

[@johnbooth5297]

Now come see! the violence inherent in The System!

[@brettcurtis5710]

Tony Robinson also did a very good one on the Peasant's Revolt a few years back - it's on KZbin! Nice to see Dr Eleanor adding her knowledge in too!

[@JohnHarrop1987]

Big Tee-Robs proper geezer, one of me favourites

[@bawsack69]

Tony Robinson is an annoying little weirdo.

[@manbearpig3507]

Robinson and Loades in the same doc instant classic Tony's goatee at the time has also become legendary

[@dshe8637]

I'm not a fan of Robinson. I don't think he's very trustworthy

[@manbearpig3507]

@@dshe8637 how dare u speak ill of Baldrick (jokes)

[@Ben-Hollingbery]

Thanks to the 1381 project, I found another ancestor to add to our huge family tree

[@HistoryHit]

It's great, isn't it!

[@dontnoable]

Whose side were they on?

[@brisketbaron]

History likes to repeat itself.

[@janerkenbrack3373]

The peasants are revolting is an old and tested joke. But I really appreciate you explaining the levels of wealth within that community of people. I had always (wrongly) assumed all peasants were poor.

[@luckyspurs]

Has to be a Terry Deary line surely.

[@Madonnalitta1]

​@@luckyspursit's from Blackadder.

[@phoebeel]

I believe that serfs are the poor peasants most people think of when thinking about poverty in medieval times. Peasants are another class entirely

[@janerkenbrack3373]

@@phoebeel That seems fair enough. I came away from this video with a better understanding the roles of non-royalty.

[@robokill387]

The English equivalent of the serf class were called "villains".

[@luckyspurs]

Matt Lewis. Peasants Revolt. Over an hour. Oh I'm in.

[@K8E666]

Absolutely brilliant ! Loved this. Would like to have seen the last episode on the lasting effects of the revolt after Watt Tyler’s death and the subsequent dispersal of the crowds from London. I hope this is uploaded to KZbin rather than just on HH channel. Thanks

[@syewilliams2372]

Sounds very much like today, it’s amazing how history repeats itself again and again, I’d be worried if I was rich and greedy in today’s world

[@HeatherHall-fg9vi]

I know, we need to revolt! At least here in America. The way we are taxed, and the way our food is grown.

[@dommedanielle]

"People just didn't pay." Take note folks, take note. "The lords do eat and drink the poor man's flesh and blood."

[@SquireComedy]

Our man Lee offering top weapons intelligence, here. Thanks for having him on!

[@natalieeis9284]

Well, I can see history repeating itself very soon

[@Wee_Langside]

More like the Bronze Age Collapse in 1177BC. Some good stuff on here by Eric Cline

[@LeahWalentosky]

Some parallels with the revolutions of France and Russia as well

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was a wonderful historical coverage video about peasant revolt in 1381 in Britain 🇬🇧....thank you 🙏 (history Hit ) for sharing

[@biposto749]

Looks like history could repeat itself

[@williamrobinson7435]

Good this. Thanks Matthew and team! 🌟👍

[@HistoryHit]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@djquinn11]

The Peasants will rise again!

[@mcgregorpiper]

Ironic that this was posted two ago considering the current situation in the U.K.

[@joejankoski8471]

"Sir, the peasants are revolting!" "They certainly are."

[@andrewstevenson118]

There was a Coco Pops ad back in the 80s. Christian: "Captain Bligh, Captain Bligh! The crew are revolting!" Bligh: "Yuck Mr Christian. They ARE revolting."

[@terricollins8450]

I know I can smell them from here😂

[@susanroutt6690]

Please read: “A Distant Mirror, The Calamatous 14th Century” by Barbara Tuchman 1977. My favorite book ❤️

[@leecotton3242]

And I love the historical novel _Katherine_, by Anya Seton. The title character is one of the wives of John of Gaunt. Katherine’s sister married Chaucer. We were assigned to read this for an English literature class.

[@elizaa3523]

I could listen to Matt Lewis talk all day 😊

[@DallingerM]

Dr. Eleanor Janega is the real star of this show. HistoryHit are so lucky to have her. She’s incredible

[@JS-wp4gs]

She was talking nonsense. Couldn't get social structure of the time anywhere near correct and kept using non existent terms like 'peasant' and 'serf' neither of which were ever used by the people they were attributed to

[@Shinobi33]

Yea he's great

[@DallingerM]

@@Shinobi33 She’s*

[@Shinobi33]

@@DallingerM HE

[@authormichellefranklin]

Love Matt and Dr Janega! Please do more!

[@markwhitbread7383]

Well done Matt, another gem.

[@ProfessorM-he9rl]

Thank you for this post, very interesting and educational.

[@lnbjr7]

Great video! Especially enjoyed listening to Dr. Yarnigar!

[@pentegarn1]

When I became a Freemason I was told that the Peasant's Revolt was the real beginning of our lodge system.

[@jmwilliamsart]

The British seemed to have forgotten the role of taxation in 1381 Peasants revolt when they tried to tax the American colonies in the 1700s? It seems to me that they didn’t learn from their own history?

[@ksimpp]

Excellent content as always!

[@Starburst858]

Yesss Matt Lewis! I'm currently reading his book on Richard III

[@JJAmes-mb4du]

I'm always struck by how often the people of England rise up in revolt and are told some lies and go home.

[@jamespires3383]

That’s not quite fair, sometimes it was raining so they went in.

[@stephenconnolly3018]

Compared to the US a country that half the population believe every word a great orange buffoon tells them. You yanks need to watch this because you heading back to the middle ages.

[@timburrows5807]

But they all came to America, made war against taxes but ended up paying taxes to the US tax department.

[@jessicarichter6436]

Please upload rest of the episode to KZbin 🙏

[@RootlessNZ]

Excellent presentation of a complex issue. Thank you. In 1981 the 600th anniversary of the Peasant's Revolt and the meeting with King Richard at Mile End was commemorated by a magnificent mural on the wall of a Tower Hamlet's municipal building in Canal Road in the East End. Only 8 years later Thatcher propelled Britain forward into the 14th century by imposing a poll tax. The more things change...

[@TheHellnfire]

I'm a Peasant Revolting that you give us 2 free episodes & then force me into paying for the 3rd episode... *Throws rocks

[@loadsaluvllwyd]

this ends with the host saying in part three… So where do we find part three?

[@Lewis_ST]

History is repeating itself, under a new face.

[@janehollander1934]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="681">11:21</a> I still remember the extremely big & violent riots, on 🇳🇱Dutch TV, that went on in 1990 London🇬🇧. When PM Margaret Thatcher re-introduced "The Poll Tax" introducing a flat-rate for each and every British citizen. Boy, it looked like a civil war was going down in London, after other big cities had seen huge demonstrations.

[@dontnoable]

Yes they were pretty successful!

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

I abhor violence, I was a young man when the poll tax conflict was happening, I instead wrote a lot of graffiti against the iron witch and her mobsters, now I'm in my sixties and living in spain I'm still graffiting against my corrupt local council...🤪🙊🙉🙈👎😺😸😹💩🤡

[@mikalasimpson7789]

Excellent program thank you

[@oneshotme]

I very much enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@katherinelarini8514]

I love listening to and learning from Dr Eleanor!..

[@Elise-jz7nm]

Excellent presentation Matthew!

[@markberman6708]

Isn't this occurring now, or about to?

[@dontnoable]

The 1990 Poll Tax riots in opposition to what Margaret (spit) Thatcher introduced were significant and are under discussed!

[@andywarrington4738]

it should be called the People's Revolt

[@RevanAlaire]

Another great documentary, but I will say that I am not a fan of the AI generated portraits used. It distracts from the high quality of the documentary by looking cheap, uncanny and out of place.

[@Mystic16]

Damn... his parents named him 'Bill' Payable... wow...

[@dshe8637]

This is excellent. Much of Working Class history is hidden or played down.

[@dontnoable]

There is a good long running podcast called working class history. It's amazing!

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thanks.

[@4362mont]

Grimjack, John of Gaunt, is represented here by a picture that looks like one of Sylvester Stallone.

[@rogerroger5171]

I thought the picture of John of Gaunt looked a lot like Ian McShane.

[@luckyspurs]

Kind of impressed that Helen Castor didn't advertise her new book, given it's literally about Richard II and Henry IV. Such an interesting period in history.

[@normanpearson8753]

It may have been edited out of course . Maybe ladies don't lower themselves to such actions?

[@sharonbland9061]

The story is a lot different from my history lesson at school, back in the day. Who else thinks this Gaunt, looks like Ian McShane, of Lovejoy. 😂 Thank you i enjoyed this .

[@guyd4067]

Nice touch using some of the historians as models for depictions of the peasant leaders.

[@54mgtf22]

“The peasants are revolting” “Yes. They’re dreadful”

[@rolandrothwell4840]

This was so illuminating and very interesting 🤔 thank you so much

[@exsanguinenation]

Timely

[@jeffprice767]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="660">11:00</a> "This is a tax for NOTHING. Sounds fair!" WUT

[@stevemull2002]

Great vid, and a good job, Dr Eleonor is fabulous its not just her extensive knowledge, but more like she was actually there!

[@akd8525]

I think the way History Hit is starting to overuse and abuse AI art is really disappointing.

[@akd8525]

I mean, FFS there are actual images of John of Gaunt and instead you give us an AI imagining of Al Pacino in the 16th C. This is bad history presentation, incredibly lazy and deeply insulting to your audience.

[@rd9277]

Matt is the ultimate history zaddy. Just saying.

[@PH_1964]

New subscriber. Thanks. This was very interesting and the presenter and guests were really engaging. A bit pedantic but I was taught 'head on a pike' and wonder if it's always been an either/or 🤔

[@Shinobi33]

Man can we ever have a documentary with just a narrator and no egomaniac historian flashing their mug on screen every 2 mins?

[@andrewd666]

If something is described as the "True Story" it shouldn't end after 75 mins with ...and in the next chapter... The title should include 'Part 1' or similar!😢

[@Stampenar]

I don't get why you would use those awful A.I rendered images...

[@annettedelorean706]

whoever they are paying, or not paying to make those images could spend more than 5 seconds on them lol

[@Stampenar]

@@annettedelorean706 Seriously, their A.I rendered Simon Sudbury looks like Jevgenij Prigosjin

[@rebeccawilson7075]

Where’s episode 3? It said it would be in the comments?

[@dontnoable]

Notice how people know who is making them poor and oppressed here are the powerful nobles who are taking the products of their labour in the fields. And not whatever the culture wars tells us should be the target of their outrage like in current times. They know who the enemy is at this point. They're very clear about it.

[@Onora619]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="856">14:16</a> Hell yeah, eat the rich. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[@jonathanspiliotis2289]

Does anyone else find “Frawnce” troubling?

[@jayplay8140]

awbsolutely

[@arlenedavis5770]

Ye Kynggdome of Frawnce doth bother me most prodigiously.

[@normanpearson8753]

I even find France troubling .

[@jardon8636]

joan the fair maid of kent... cosmeton was in the vale of glamorgan,,bro morgannwg, the welsh marches... outside of the kingdom of england ... but part of richard II crown lands...often held by his distant norman relatives...

[@sstarklite2181]

I wish everyone knew that there are many forms of slavery! Taxation is slavery! It means controlled by someone or something! The wage is also a form of slavery! There should be equal wealth worldwide. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1092">18:12</a>

[@Jerseyboondocks]

I wish everyone also knows that you truly don't own your house to property. If you don't pay your taxes on it, the government will take it. That means you're just renting it from them!!

[@DakotaFord592]

❤❤❤

[@mxrx3786]

great video with ads every 90 seconds

[@itsbomber8390]

Upgrade to no commercials

[@thezieg]

Ian McShane as John of Gaunt!

[@travellervideos2024]

The nobilty who spoke no English whilst the peasants groan in Middle English Richard II: Vous étiez des serfs et vous êtes des serfs

[@jeanfish7]

Is this the era of Robin Hood?

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

How do we find the sequel video? Very annoying that it is not offered here. For heaven’s sake so much for History Hit tv.

[@jamestoday2239]

In the words of Lemmy from Motorhead Eat it baby, eat the rich....bite down on the son of a bitch" Then as now.

[@dave7577]

Peasant: a poor smallholder or agricultural labourer of low social status (chiefly in historical use or with reference to subsistence farming in poorer countries).

[@davidd6171]

Whats up with the stupid sound effects in this video? They seem to dropped randomly here in there. A sudden pop sound or screeching sound. It's starteling and destroys the enjoyability of the video.

[@katieedwards5926]

Dr. Eleanor, god I adore her!

[@reknae]

Mama Janega!!

[@ZombieSnax42069]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="806">13:26</a> Not much changes does it.

[@MissMentats]

Surprised that Adam Sandler was there

[@krakatoainc2809]

Why does Elenor have an American accent but keeps saying "Fronce" with a French accent?

[@RickB50SS]

Aren't excessive profits legalised tax on the poor?

[@cinnamongirl5410]

And they're still smearing the ones revolting. Some things never change.

[@drstrangelove4998]

Good on Joanna, not much has changed 😂

[@TrojansOwl1]

why's an american lady telling me about fourteenth century english history?

[@rolandscales9380]

Maybe because she's a leading authority on the subject who has media skills?

[@helenlewis3398]

I really like her. You can tell that she was is fascinated by our medieval history.

[@benzomanic2972]

🤦 Now Kamala is begging me for money.

[@amalgamated-]

Her and trumps son take turns begging for money every other add🤣🤣🤣

[@Livelaughtoasterbath777]

👌🏽

[@DieNibelungenliad]

The rich were landlords. Peasants were tenant farmers, they rented the land from the landlords to farm and live on. Peasants had to pay rent each year to the lord's bailiff, often in crop than in coin, and the amount was written on parchment kept by the bailiff

[@jamiebond3531]

2024

[@GTMemes2]

History hit sucks on you tube Endless commercials every 5 min some 3 or 5 minutes long if you don't skip😢😢

[@lnbjr7]

Records at this time were written on parchment NOT paper!

[@brain9inavat520]

At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="370">6:10</a> this so-called expert says something so stupid that I can't be bothered to continue watching the documentary. It's actually quite good, every once in a while to get such a wake-up call, which reminds me to think critically. It's easy for a British historian to define "peasant" to be a farmer, since Britain never had serfdom...but that's bullshit. "Peasant" is the term for the lowest class where most did not own land and were only allowed to cultivate enough to scrape a living by giving away most of their labor to a landowner. In most of Europe, peasants were not free to leave the farm they lived on, they were owned by skin and hair, they were slaves. So no, some peasants were not rich. Here we distinguish between "farmer" and "peasant".

[@marks8060]

But.. butttt women!! What about women. Warrior women. Oh thank god. Women.

[@amalgamated-]

It was only like 10% of the documentary dude…u ok??

[@marks8060]

@@amalgamated- yeah I’m good now! Thank you. Hope you’re well.

[@timburrows5807]

They lost, just take a look at your tax returns.

[@luckyspurs]

Being from Greenwich, loving History and being left wing (pro-Corbyn, anti-Starmer and all that); the Peasants Revolt is obviously a particular subject of interest. We've Wat Tyler Road in Blackheath. The other side of the heath from the pub where Tony Robinson ended his programme. Was quite fun during the Olympics when they put up loads of information plaques and things explaining the history of the area.

[@travisinthetrunk]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="508">8:28</a> “A whole new kettle of fish?” What does that even mean?

[@jessicarichter6436]

It means something is different, not alike, unseen before & for people it means strong but can also have negative connotations of them being crazy or ruthless. The expressions mostly used when 1. a job is harder to achieve & 2. for a person with a reputation of being tough or unreasonable. For example “defeating the northerners won’t be easy their a whole new kettle of fish”.

[@rolandscales9380]

A whole new ballgame. (British English. )

[@Madonnalitta1]

Why is an American teaching an Englishman about English Peasants?

[@seasons.of.imogen]

Why not? If you are referring to Dr. Eleanor, it is not about where a person comes from that is important, it is their knowledge of the subject in question, and Dr. Eleanor knows her subject, and she does her job as a guest presenter elegantly and professionally, she is in one word awesome.

[@manbearpig3507]

I get the inclusion of Johanna's role and highlighting the fact that some women played prominent roles but they took it a lil far on the praise for her. She led the attack on the Savoy that led to innocent/non targeted deaths and looted it not exactly a role model for the movement. Also the simple fact she was acquitted is really glossed over and kinda smiled at gd ol female privilege is older than most know

[@Sabatta]

Here's the thing. Historians are always 'contemporising' History to make it relevant - to try to make it interesting. But there's a problem inherent in that - if everything stayed the same we wouldn't have 'History' to study. People and societies and mores and culture change - that's what actually makes it interesting. 'They were just like us' err no. Comparing and contrasting is cool and makes sense but all of a sudden all peasants being like regular people today is actually ridiculous, based off one word alone - literacy. I've enjoyed a lot of the videos on this channel but this approach, for me, is a turn off and it's unnecessary.

[@RemusKingOfRome]

my post was deleted, for no reason except for crims within YT. I cannot like any video if comments are being deleted.