Figure 1.-- This medieval illustration depicts the defeat of the Jacquerie in Meaux near Paris (June 9, 1358). The Jacquerie peasant rebels and Paris mob were trying to take the market town of Meaux. The family of Dauphin Charles was cowering in the castle. It is at this time a knightly force led by Gaston Phébus and Jean de Grailli crashed into the rebels. Artist: Loyset Liédet, a contemporary Flemish miniaturist and illuminator.

The peasants who survived the Black Death began demanding changes and the loosening of the restrictions involved with Feudal serfdom. They were in a strong bargaining position. Before the Plague, land was valuable an labor cheap. As a result of the enormous death toll this situation was reversed. Land declined in value and labor increased in value. And many peasants made real gains in their economic situation. The aristocrats who controlled the land did not take the new situate lightly and resisted any erosion of feudal bonds which tied their peasant workers to the land. The Jacquerie in France was the first and most notorious of the peasant uprisings (1358). It all began in a small nondescript village but eventually spread and overran most of northern France, the Jacquerie rebels destroyed noble castles and killed dozens of noblemen and their families before being put down in a bloody wave of suppression. Probably the most famous to English speakers was the Great Revolt--the first great popular rebellion in English history. It was ultimately unsuccessful (1381). The peasant leaders included Wat Tyler and they demanded massive social changes which included a removal of the poll tax, an end to the cap on labor wages, redistribution of the Church's wealth, and the total abolition of serfdom. This did not happen, but the social fabric supporting serfdom was undeniably weakened. These were the earliest peasant rebellion, but many more albeit on a smaller scale followed in the 14th century.

Created: 2:19 PM 3/10/2025
Last updated: 2:19 PM 3/10/2025