One of the most anticipated and debated historical films of 2026, The Uprising has generated discussion for both its subject matter and its marketing, while introducing a new audience to the dramatic events of 1381, when thousands of ordinary people challenged royal authority in what became England's largest popular revolt before the Civil War.

The Great Revolt of 1381, better known as the Peasants’ Revolt, is an area of history that is often depicted as a simple battle between ‘the highly taxed dejected people’ versus ‘the rich and greedy crown’. Of course, it was far more complicated than that, although social injustice and growing unhappiness about what was ‘fair’ were key factors.

Perhaps it is the complications that have not made it an easy topic for a modern screen narrative – after all, Wat Tyler does not have the heroic tradition of Robin Hood (despite recent American attempts to change that). Nonetheless, with every medieval period now an opportunity for a glossy retelling for film or streaming, the 14th-century rebellion is about to have its moment. Difficult to introduce dragons to this period but otherwise fully open to exploitation, the new film on the Peasants Revolt’ will no doubt excite some, inform others and annoy experts. If you are inspired to know more by the film or even just the mention of it, then fortunately we have some resources to help you discover the real stories, people and debates that continue to make 1381 such a compelling moment in England's past.  

Our recorded webinar, The People of 1381, produced alongside an HA Teacher Fellowship and the AHRC-funded research project of the same name, shifts the focus away from famous leaders to the thousands of individuals who took part. Drawing on newly uncovered evidence, historians Adrian Bell, Helen Lacey and Helen Killick examine who joined the revolt, what motivated them, and what became of them afterwards.

For teachers and students, our long-standing pamphlet resource The Great Revolt of 1381 offers valuable context on the causes, course and consequences of the rebellion. Written by historian E. B. Fryde in 1981, it explores everything from the unpopular poll tax and demands for reform to the wider social and economic pressures that helped to fuel the uprising. The pamphlet also highlights how the events of 1381 helped accelerate longer-term changes in medieval society, particularly the gradual decline of serfdom.