Who Was John Ball
John Ball was the most famous priest and theological voice of the so-called “Peasants’ Revolt” in England, 1381. We have letters attributed to him which appear to have been sent to rebels and we have his preaching presented in medieval chronicles. This public lecture, delivered as part of the 2022 Works that Shaped the World series, looks at how Ball’s ideas about the Bible and apocalyptic transformation would have been understood in 1381, particularly among peasant audiences. The lecture then analyses the changing history of his reception, from the epitome of seditious religious excess, through a hero of homegrown socialism to the precursor of parliamentary democracy. Some consideration is also given to the changing nature of his fame and popularity, where his memory still thrives and where it has dwindled.
Key events of the Peasants' Revolt The trigger for the revolt came in May 1381.
Key events of the Peasants' Revolt The trigger for the revolt came in May 1381. A tax collector arrived in Fobbing, a village in Essex. The peasants refused to pay the poll tax and their opposition spread to surrounding villages in Essex and Kent. Peasants gathered together and started to march towards London, led by a man named Wat Tyler. They were joined by supporters from Norfolk and Suffolk. John Ball spoke to a crowd of peasants at Blackheath, in the south of London. He encouraged them to rebel and demand greater rights.
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