Medieval Europe
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5) To what extent is it possible to identify expressions of dissent from the lower orders in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries?
European society in 14th and 15th century Europe was generally dictated by a fundamentally feudalistic society, greedy monarchs, national campaigns of pillaging and conquest and horrors such as the black plague. As a result of these factors combined with many others such as the divisions between the lower orders of society and European nobility, it is possible to identify many expressions of dissent from the lower orders of European society during the medieval era.
One of the most documented outbreaks of public dissent during this era is without doubt the infamous Peasants revolt otherwise known as the 14th century poll tax riots in England in 1381. In the aftermath of the catastrophic Black Death 1348-9, England was in turmoil politically, economically and possibly most importantly socially. As a result the British nobility and Monarchy in effect enforced a compulsory system of feudalistic ideals combined with severe restrictions on labour movement and a number of extremely unpopular taxes in an attempt to try and rid the country of its inner turmoil. The social consequences of these foolhardy political and economic laws demonstrated a considerable expression of dissent from Englands lower order or peasantry in this case.
Between the years 1370-80 a number of very unpopular taxes were motioned. In 1377 the standard rate per head was introduced. This was quickly followed in 1379 by taxing in accordance with ones income and finally the straw that broke the camels back so to speak with regards to expressions of dissent in the lower order, the infamous Poll Tax of 1380 which declared all men and women over the age of 15 had to pay 1 shilling.
The poll tax riots or Peasants revolt started as a regional dispute in what is now Essex. However it quickly spread across the majority of southeast England. The revolt began as a heated dispute erupted between harassed residents and an over eager tax collector.