Power and Work

Peasants Revolts

Rural risings and what they demanded, with the real dates and places.

The Peasants' Revolt of 1328

There was no English peasants' revolt in 1328; the famous one was 1381. The real 1328 event was the end of the Flemish peasant revolt at the Battle of Cassel.

4 min read

The Peasants' Revolt: A Call for Reform

What did the English rebels of 1381 ask for? A look at the reported demands, from ending serfdom to tax relief, and how far the chronicle sources can be trusted.

4 min read

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Feudalism and Knighthood How feudal ties and the knightly code organized medieval rule. Farming and Trade Fields, guilds, markets and the hardship of famine. Heraldry and Coats of Arms Shields, symbols and the heralds who kept track of them. Knights and Warfare The knightly code, honor and how medieval battles were fought. Kingship and Law How kings ruled and how law and justice worked. Battles and Campaigns Famous battles and what they changed. Tournaments and Chivalry Mock battles, jousts, knightly orders and the ideals behind them. Sieges and Weapons How castles and towns were attacked and defended, and the arms used. Kings and Rulers Profiles of medieval monarchs and nobles and the politics around them. Norman and Angevin Kings Rulers from William the Conqueror to the Angevin kings. Late Medieval Monarchs English and French kings of the later Middle Ages. Magna Carta The charter of 1215, its clauses and its legacy. Chivalry and Honor The ideals of knightly conduct, honor and loyalty, and how they changed. Feudal Society and Estates Feudalism, the manor and the three estates of medieval society. Economy and Commerce Trade, guilds, money and the movement of news and goods. Justice, Trials and Punishments How medieval courts judged crimes, from ordeals and duels to fines and executions. Manor, Serfdom and Tithes The rural system of manors, unfree peasants and church dues. Ireland, Scotland and Wales Medieval life and politics on the Celtic fringe of Britain and Ireland. Crafts and Workshops The trades that made cloth, metal, bread and books in medieval towns.