Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Peasants' Revolt

Peasants' Revolt edit

This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page.

The result was: scheduled for Wikipedia:Today's featured article/January 26, 2016 by Brianboulton (talk) 21:58, 9 January 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The Peasants' Revolt was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The causes included tensions generated by the Black Death in the 1340s, and the high taxes required to carry on the Hundred Years' War. A wide spectrum of rural society rose up in protest. The rebels sought a reduction in taxation, an end to the system of unfree labour known as serfdom and the removal of the King's senior officials and law courts. Inspired by the radical cleric John Ball, and led by Wat Tyler, Kentish rebels entered London on 13 June. They destroyed the Temple Inns of Court, and set fire to law books. The following day, the fourteen-year old King Richard acceded to most of the rebels' demands, including the abolition of serfdom, but the Lord Chancellor and the Lord High Treasurer were killed in the Tower of London (pictured). On 15 June Richard met Tyler and the rebels at Smithfield, but violence broke out and Tyler was killed by the king's party. A London militia then dispersed the rebel forces and Richard rescinded his previous grants to the rebels. Troubles extended as far as East Anglia, Yorkshire and Somerset, but most of the rebel leaders were tracked down and executed, and at least 1,500 rebels were killed. (Full article...)