‘The Uprising’ shows how medieval people weren’t so obedient after all

The English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 wasn’t an isolated outburst. Across medieval Europe, ordinary people challenged the authority of rulers who failed to live up to their end of the bargain.

By: Joëlle Rollo-Koster, University of Rhode Island, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 11, 2026

Words: 1,515

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

Body Text Preview

By Joëlle Rollo-Koster, University of Rhode Island

For decades, I’ve been showing my medieval history students the “autonomous collective” scene from the 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

The clip is funny because it features two medieval peasants haranguing King Arthur while using the lexicon of a modern political Marxist. When Arthur explains that he was their king because the Lady of the Lake gave him Excalibur, one of the peasants objects: …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us