Wat Tyler Wat Tyler Walter "Wat" Tyler (died 15 June 1381) was a leader of the 1381 Peasants' Revolt in England. He marched a group of rebels from Canterbury to the capital to oppose the institution of a poll tax and demand economic and social reforms. While the brief rebellion enjoyed early success, Tyler was killed by officers loyal to King Richard II during negotiations at Smithfield, London. Nothing is known of Wat Tyler's early life. Born with the first name Walter, his original surname was unknown. It is thought that the name "Tyler" comes from his occupation as a roof tiler.
Economics of English towns and trade in the Middle Ages system of poll taxes, aiming to spread the costs of taxation across the entire of English society. One result of the economic and political tensions was the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 in which widespread rural discontent was followed by invasion of London involving thousands of rebels. The rebels had many demands, including the effective end of the feudal institution of serfdom and a cap on the levels of rural rents. The ensuing violence took the political classes by surprise and the revolt was not fully put down until the autumn, with up to 7,000 rebels being executed in the aftermath.