Medieval peasant revolts
Also called: Peasants' Revolt · Topic: Medieval Europe: Feudalism and the Three Orders · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 3 "Changing Traditions"; Class 11, Ch 4 "The Three Orders"
Meaning
Medieval peasant revolts were risings by peasants in Flanders (1323), France (1358) and England (1381). After the Black Death, workers were scarce and wages rose. Lords were losing income, so they tried to cancel money agreements and bring back labour services (unpaid work on the lord's land). The revolts were strongest in areas that had done well, because there peasants were defending what they had gained. All the risings were brutally crushed. Even so, the old feudal rights could not be forced back, because the money economy had gone too far to reverse.
Example
In the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381, led by Wat Tyler, rebels marched on London. The revolt was put down, but English lords could not bring serfdom back.