Wat Tyler and the 1381 English Peasant Revolt

At the end of the 14th century in England, the plight of peasants, still bound to the land and subject to arbitrary taxation and servitude, reached a boiling point. Attempts at emancipation were met with resistance from lords, leading to organized defiance among peasants, buoyed by the teachings of Wycliffe and a burgeoning sense of egalitarianism.
The spark that ignited rebellion came with the realization of tax shortfall. Investigations were launched into collector misconduct, but in Essex, defiance turned to violence as insurgents, led by the enigmatic Jack Straw and Wat Tyler, struck fear into authorities. Similar sentiments echoed in Kent, where a brutal incident catalyzed widespread revolt.