The Revolting Peasants of 1381

Images like this were very common in the Arab Spring of 2011

Today, we are quite used to seeing uprisings, protests and revolutions. In fact, there probably aren't many people who have never protested about something. If we are upset about a foreign war, government policy or other injustices, we can always make ourselves a placard, go to London and make the point clear. Ultimately, we can change the way we vote or even (the strongest possible form of English protest) write a strongly worded letter. 

One of the most interesting things about history is realising that things weren't the same in the past. Now, this might seem like an obvious thing to say but to understand what life was like before the fourteenth century, you must appreciate that there were fewer ways of getting your feelings heard.

How the Black Death changed the world

Take a look at the picture (below). I like to start some of my classes with an impossible task such as working out what these series of squiggles is all about. Surprisingly, if my pupils are given the topic they can come very close to guessing what these mystery pictures are all about. This particular medieval drawing is the beginning of a study of the Black Death.

Can you work out what it is? Pause for wild guesswork

The picture actually shows graffiti from the Middle Ages and gives a fascinating look into what people might have been thinking as the Black Death swept across Europe between 1348-51. The meaning is "A wretched, terrible, destructive year. The remnants of the people alone remain". It's taken from a medieval church in Hertfordshire where almost the entire population died. We can only guess what happened to the author.

The persecuted Jews of the Middle Ages

Sometimes a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. For example, it would be entirely possible to go through school thinking that Hitler was the only person to ever persecute the Jewish people. Indeed it's sometimes easier to believe that antisemitism is limited to a handful of insane Nazis in the 1940s. However, history at its best can make you feel uncomfortable and question many of your underlying assumptions about such issues.

Take a look at the picture above. It's taken from a medieval tax record of all the Jews paying tax in Norwich in 1233. Most tax records have very little that's interesting about them (as any accountant will no doubt tell you) but this is definitely an exception. For me, the most engaging aspect of this Middle Ages doddle is that we know who many of the characters in the picture are meant to be and once you have figured out the characters there's a sinister message lying underneath. Before you read on perhaps look at the picture and try and figure it out.

The mysterious death of William Rufus

"The sun was now declining, when the king, drawing his bow and letting fly an arrow, slightly wounded a stag which passed before him... At this instant Walter decided to kill another stag. Oh, gracious God! the arrow pierced the king's breast."

This quote from a medieval monk (William of Malmesbury) describes a hunting trip in the New Forest in 1100. According to him, William II (nicknamed Rufus for his reddish hair or ruddy complexion) was happily chasing down a stag when Walter Tirrel, one of his associates, seems to have "missed" the stag he was aiming for and killed the king (woops really doesn't seem to do it justice). As if this weren't dodgy enough, the entire hunting party then ran away fearing that the death of the king would bring chaos to their estates. 

So, if you thought that the Middle Ages were the more chivalrous times of Robin Hood think of William II's body being flung on the back of a cart by an unsuspecting peasant called Purkis: one of the few people who can say that they have stumbled upon a king's corpse whilst out walking in the forest. Most of those present at the death later received promotions under the new king; Henry I. Suspicious.

You can relive the whole thing in a Horrible Histories style here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9nxOgPuj_w