In 1381, after plague, famine and war had pushed England to the brink, a final blow sparked an extraordinary uprising. This episode explores the Peasants’ Revolt, not as a chaotic riot, but as a coordinated challenge to royal and religious power in England. To cut through the myths, we're joined by medieval historian Dr Eleanor Janega, co-host of the 'Gone Medieval' podcast. She explains what really happened, why it mattered, and how this rebellion sent shockwaves through medieval England and beyond. 0:00 Introduction 1:26 The Worst Time to Be Alive? 2:34 Famine and the Little Ice Age 5:36 Post-Plague Labor Wars 10:43 Richard II and the Hated Poll Tax 13:24 The Rising in Essex and Kent 18:08 Who Were the Rebels? 21:04 John Ball’s Revolutionary Message 23:57 The Storming of London 32:53 The Smithfield Showdown 40:05 The Bloody Aftermath and Legacy Produced by Mariana Des Forges, James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, edited by Matthew Wilson & the channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. You can find more Dan Snow's History Hit on the audio podcast here: https://podfollow.com/dan-snows-history-hit/view Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #DanSnowsHistoryHit #HistoryPodcast #Medieval