Peasants' Revolt in England
Poets involved
What happened
In June 1381, the Peasants' Revolt erupted in England, a massive popular uprising sparked by the imposition of a poll tax and fueled by widespread economic and social grievances. Led by Wat Tyler and inspired by the radical cleric John Ball, the rebels marched on London, destroyed property, and demanded an end to serfdom and the reduction of royal authority. The revolt was ultimately suppressed by King Richard II, who met with the rebels at Smithfield, but it left a lasting mark on English society and politics.
Literary impact
The Peasants' Revolt was a watershed moment for English literature, exposing the deep social divides of the age and inspiring poets to give voice to the grievances of the common people. The rebel priest John Ball's famous couplet—'When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?'—became one of the most quoted lines of political poetry in English history, encapsulating the radical egalitarianism that the revolt represented. The uprising also influenced the works of poets such as William Langland, whose allegorical poem Piers Plowman grapples with the morality of wealth and power, and Geoffrey Chaucer, whose Canterbury Tales offers a panoramic view of English society in the wake of the revolt.
Source: Wikipedia
