Editing Peasants' Revolt (section)

====Smithfield====
[[File:DeathWatTylerFull.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Medieval painting|Late 14th-century depiction of [[William Walworth]] killing [[Wat Tyler]]; the King is represented twice, watching events unfold (left) and addressing the crowd (right). [[British Library]], London.]]

On 15 June the royal government and the remaining rebels, who were unsatisfied with the charters granted the previous day, agreed to meet at Smithfield, just outside the city walls.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=103, 105}}</ref> London remained in confusion, with various bands of rebels roaming the city independently.<ref name=Saul1999P69/> Richard prayed at Westminster Abbey, before setting out for the meeting in the late afternoon.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=102–103}}</ref> The chroniclers' accounts of the encounter all vary on matters of detail, but agree on the broad sequence of events.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=103}}</ref> The King and his party, at least 200 strong and including [[man-at-arms|men-at-arms]], positioned themselves outside [[St Bartholomew-the-Great|St Bartholomew's Priory]] to the east of Smithfield, and the thousands of rebels massed along the western end.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=103}}; {{harvnb|Saul|1999|p=70}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|The primary sources for the events at Smithfield are the ''Anonimalle Chronicle'', Thomas Walsingham, Jean Froissart, Henry Knighton and the ''Westminster Chronicler''. There are minor differences in their accounts of events. Froissart suggests that Wat Tyler intended to capture the King and kill the royal party, and that Tyler initiated the engagement with Richard in order to carry out this plan. The ''Anonimalle Chronicle'' and Walsingham both go into some, if varying, detail as to the rebels' demands. Walsingham and Knighton wrote that Tyler, rather than being about to depart at the end of his discussions with Richard, appeared to be about to kill the King, triggering the royal response. Walsingham differs from the other chroniclers in giving a key role in the early part of the encounter to Sir John Newton.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=103–106}}</ref>|group="nb"}}

Richard probably called Tyler forwards from the crowd to meet him, and Tyler greeted the King with what the royal party considered excessive familiarity, terming Richard his "brother" and promising him his friendship.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=104}}</ref> Richard queried why Tyler and the rebels had not yet left London following the signing of the charters the previous day, but this brought an angry rebuke from Tyler, who requested that a further charter be drawn up.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=104–105}}</ref> The rebel leader rudely demanded refreshment and, once this had been provided, attempted to leave.<ref name=Dunn2002PP106>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=106–107}}</ref>

An argument then broke out between Tyler and some of the royal servants.<ref name=Dunn2002PP106/> The Lord Mayor of London, [[William Walworth]], stepped forward to intervene, Tyler made some motion towards the King, and the royal soldiers leapt in.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=106}}</ref> Either Walworth or Richard ordered Tyler to be arrested, Tyler attempted to attack the Mayor, and Walworth responded by stabbing Tyler.<ref name=Dunn2002PP106/> Ralph Standish, a royal [[squire]], then repeatedly stabbed Tyler with his sword, mortally injuring him.<ref name=Dunn2002P107>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=107}}</ref>

The situation was now precarious and violence appeared likely as the rebels prepared to unleash a volley of arrows.<ref name=Dunn2002P107/> Richard rode forward towards the crowd and persuaded them to follow him away from Smithfield, to [[Clerkenwell|Clerkenwell Fields]], defusing the situation.<ref name=Dunn2002P107/> Walworth meanwhile began to regain control of the situation, backed by reinforcements from the city.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=107–108}}</ref> Tyler's head was cut off and displayed on a pole and, with their leader dead and the royal government now backed by the London militia, the rebel movement began to collapse.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=107}}; {{harvnb|Jones|2010|pp=154–155}}</ref> Richard promptly knighted Walworth and his leading supporters for their services.<ref name=Dunn2002P107/>