Wat Tyler

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This article is about the revolt leader Wat Tyler. For the punk rock band, see Wat Tyler (band).
Wat Tyler
DeathWatTyler.jpg
Wat Tyler's death (left to right: [unidentified]; Sir William Walworth, Mayor of London (wielding sword); Wat Tyler; Richard II of England; and John Cavendish, esquire to Richard II (bearing lance)
Died 15 June 1381
Nationality English
Known for Peasants' Revolt

Walter "Wat" Tyler (Unknown– 15 June 1381) was a leader of the Peasants' Revolt in England. He marched a group of people from Kent to Canterbury, then to London to oppose the institution of a new poll tax. Tyler’s rebellion enjoyed early success but he was killed by officers of the King during negotiations at Smithfield in London.

Contents

Early life [edit]

What is known of Tyler’s life previous to the Peasants' Revolt is very limited. Born with the first name Walter, his original surname at birth is unknown, though the names Culpepper and Helier [1] [2] have been suggested. It is thought that the name Tyler comes from his occupation as a roof tiler. The Peasants' Revolt arose in Kent, and Tyler has been variously claimed as coming from Dartford, Deptford, and Maidstone, all within Kent, an also with Colchester in Essex [3]. Though he is famous for being one of the ring leaders of The Peasants' Revolt of 1381, it is thought he was not the one to initiate the uprising in Kent. A sixteenth century source [4]states that it was a man of a similar name, John Tyler, who initiated the revolt. This account suggests that a poll tax collector indecently assaulted John Tyler's daughter so as an act of revenge he killed the tax man and triggered the revolt[5].

The Peasants' Revolt [edit]

In the year 1381 a rebellion began in response to a poll tax, which is a set amount, charged to each member of a community regardless of their financial status. In response to the poll tax the peasants started a rebellion, led by Wat Tyler. The revolt was not only about money, the peasants were also interested in freedom for everyone. They demanded freedom for laborers to work for the employer of their choice and the end of the separation of social classes by station. Today it is known as the Peasants’ Rebellion. The uprising included members of other social classes along with peasants. The uprising represented a large part of English society, including nobility and wealthy religious establishments.[6] In addition to Wat Tyler another prominent leader of the uprising was John Ball. He was a rebel priest who sympathized with the cause because he believed in the idea that humans should all be equal, since they are descendants of Adam and Eve.[7]

On the fourteenth of June the rebels marched into London. Along the way they attacked political targets, such as destroying legal records and opening prisons. On that day they demanded to speak with King Richard II, who agreed to meet with them. The peasants pledged their allegiance to him and he consented to part of their demands, he also promised that if they would go home peacefully they would be pardoned. According to a contemporary chronicle of the event, Tyler did not easily concede to the demands of the king. Instead, the chronicle reports Tyler acted with contempt; he called for a flagon of water to rinse his mouth "because of the great heat that he was in," and when he received the water "he rinsed his mouth in a very rude and disgusting fashion before the King's face." The source also describes the events leading up to Tyler’s death, reporting that it was an insult that someone fired at Tyler, “He knew him for the greatest thief and robber in all Kent” that angered Tyler enough to stab at a member of the King’s court. [8] A small group of rebels, including Wat Tyler and John Ball, wanted to continue the revolt until all demands were met. On the fifteenth Wat Tyler met with the king and was beheaded.[9]

Death [edit]

Tyler’s death occurred on the 15th of June. Commoners continued to be outraged by the institutions of King Richard II and in order to settle some issues that day, he called everyone to Smithfield; where the violence actually wound up taking place. Most accounts of what occurred on that Saturday have been painted wildly by outraged citizens, but a source states that the best information comes from the Stowe manifesto. In Smithfield, Wat Tyler and King Richard met to discuss negotiations. They agreed that if Tyler and his people received compensation for their complaints, they would have to recognize that the law of England must be followed. As things were being leveled out, the man Sir John Newentone (who is claimed to be a servant of the King) insulted Tyler and his group. Tyler then tried to attack the man by himself, but was stopped and arrested by the mayor of London. Tyler then struck at the mayor with his dagger. The mayor happened to be wearing armor, and was saved, but he immediately then, stabbed Tyler in the neck and head with his own sword. Another servant of the King stabbed Tyler again, causing a fatal wound. Tyler rode about thirty yards on his horse, but he was too weak to go any further. In order to save his life, he was brought to St. Bartholomew’s hospital. After he was brought to the hospital, he was dragged from his bed and brought out into the streets of London. He was then publically beheaded. Wat Tyler’s head was placed on the top of a pole and was carried around the city. After this, his head was hung on London Bridge. [10] King Richard II took back all of the promises and retributions that he originally promised Tyler. And so, this ultimately ended The Peasants' Revolt of 1381. [11]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/medieval/politics_wt.shtml
  2. ^ Prescott, Andrew. "",Tyler, Walter [Wat] (d. 1381)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 
  3. ^ http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/medieval/politics_wt.shtml
  4. ^ http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/medieval/politics_wt.shtml
  5. ^ Smith, George (1917). "Tyler, Wat". Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 1347–1348. 
  6. ^ Hilton, Rodney (1998). Medieval England An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing. p. 590-591. ISBN 0-8240-5786-4. 
  7. ^ Smith, George (1973). Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 993. 
  8. ^ "English Peasants' Revolt, 1381". Retrieved April 24, 2013. 
  9. ^ Smith, George (1973). The Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 1347. 
  10. ^ Smith, George (1973). Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 1347-1348. 
  11. ^ van Creveld, Martin (1996). The Encyclopedia of Revolutions and Revolutionaries: From Anarchism to Zhou Enlai. Jerusalem, Israel: The Jerusalem Publishing House. p. 422. 

External links [edit]

Wikisource has the text of a 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article about Wat Tyler.
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