Editing Peasants' Revolt (section)

===War and finance===
Another factor in the revolt of 1381 was the conduct of the war with France. In 1337 [[Edward III of England]] had pressed [[English claims to the French throne|his claims to the French throne]], beginning a long-running conflict that became known as the [[Hundred Years' War]]. Edward had initial successes, but his campaigns were not decisive. [[Charles V of France]] became more active in the conflict after 1369, taking advantage of his country's greater economic strength to commence cross-Channel raids on England.<ref>{{harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=121}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|pp=18, 53–60}}</ref> By the 1370s, England's armies on the continent were under huge military and financial pressure; the garrisons in [[Calais]] and [[Brest, France|Brest]] alone, for example, were costing £36,000 a year to maintain, while military expeditions could consume £50,000 in only six months.<ref>{{harvnb|Sumption|2009|pp=325–327, 354–355, 405}}; {{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=52}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|It is impossible to accurately compare 14th century and modern prices or incomes. For comparison, the income of a typical nobleman such as [[Richard le Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton|Richard le Scrope]] was around £600 a year, while only six [[earl]]s in the kingdom enjoyed incomes of over £5,000 a year.<ref>{{harvnb|Given-Wilson|1996|p=157}}; {{harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=161}}</ref>|group="nb"}} Edward died in 1377, leaving the throne to his grandson, [[Richard II of England|Richard II]], then only ten years old.<ref>{{harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=120}}</ref>

[[File:Troupe anglaise débarquant en Normandie XIVeme siecle.jpg|thumb|alt=Medieval painting|English soldiers landing in [[Normandy]], c. 1380–1400, during the [[Hundred Years' War]]]]

Richard's government was formed around his uncles, most prominently the rich and powerful [[John of Gaunt]], and many of his grandfather's former senior officials. They faced the challenge of financially sustaining the war in France. Taxes in the 14th century were raised on an ''ad hoc'' basis through Parliament, then comprising the [[House of Lords|Lords]], the titled aristocracy and clergy; and the [[House of Commons of England|Commons]], the representatives of the knights, merchants and senior gentry from across England.<ref>{{harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=50}}</ref> These taxes were typically imposed on a household's movable possessions, such as their goods or stock.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=50}}</ref> The raising of these taxes affected the members of the Commons much more than the Lords.<ref>{{harvnb|Jones|2010|pp=19–20}}</ref> To complicate matters, the official statistics used to administer the taxes pre-dated the Black Death and, since the size and wealth of local communities had changed greatly since the plague, effective collection had become increasingly difficult.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=51}}</ref>

Just before Edward's death, Parliament introduced a new form of taxation called the [[Poll tax#14th century|poll tax]], which was levied at the rate of four pence on every person over the age of 14, with a deduction for married couples.<ref name=Jones2010Dunn201P51>{{harvnb|Jones|2010|p=21}}; {{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=51}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|For comparison, the wage for an unskilled labourer in Essex in 1380 was around three pence a day.<ref>{{harvnb|Dyer|2000|p=168}}</ref>|group="nb"}} Designed to spread the cost of the war over a broader economic base than previous tax levies, this round of taxation proved extremely unpopular but raised £22,000.<ref name=Jones2010Dunn201P51/> The war continued to go badly and, despite raising some money through forced loans, the Crown returned to Parliament in 1379 to request further funds.<ref>{{harvnb|Sumption|2009|pp=325–327, 354–355}}; {{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=51–52}}</ref> The Commons were supportive of the young King, but had concerns about the amounts of money being sought and the way this was being spent by the King's counsellors, whom they suspected of corruption.<ref>{{harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=120}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=355}}</ref> A second poll tax was approved, this time with a sliding scale of taxes against seven different classes of English society, with the upper classes paying more in absolute terms.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=50–51}}</ref> Widespread evasion proved to be a problem, and the tax only raised £18,600&nbsp;– far short of the £50,000 that had been hoped for.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=51}}; {{harvnb|Jones|2010|p=22}}</ref>

In November 1380, Parliament was called together again in [[Northampton]]. Archbishop [[Simon Sudbury]], the new [[Lord Chancellor]], updated the Commons on the worsening situation in France, a collapse in international trade, and the risk of the Crown having to default on its debts.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=52–53}}</ref> The Commons were told that the colossal sum of £160,000 was now required in new taxes, and arguments ensued between the royal council and Parliament about what to do next.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=53}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=407}}</ref> Parliament passed a third poll tax (this time on a flat-rate basis of 12 pence on each person over 15, with no allowance made for married couples) which they estimated would raise £66,666.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=53}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=408}}</ref> The third poll tax was highly unpopular and many in the south-east [[Tax evasion|evaded]] it by refusing to register.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=54}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=419}}</ref> The royal council appointed new commissioners in March 1381 to interrogate local village and town officials in an attempt to find those who were refusing to comply.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=55}}</ref> The extraordinary powers and interference of these teams of investigators in local communities, primarily in the south-east and east of England, raised still further the tensions surrounding the taxes.<ref>{{harvnb|Sumption|2009|pp=419–420}}; {{harvnb|Powell|1896|p=5}}</ref>