Actor, author and historian Tony Robinson filmed the documentary “The Great Rising of 1381″ in 2004 for Channel 4, British Public Service Television. Available today on YouTube as an 11 part series, the film winds viewers through the geographic landmarks allowing the stories of the revolt and its key players to unfold while also considering its impact on global history.
Robinson’s journey for historical truth recaptures the spirit of the peasant revolt. Watch as he puts to the test whether 60,000 peasants could have feasibly marched from Canterbury to the capital in 36 hours using the Medieval times fastest mode of transportation. Among the revelations in the clips is information on how the rebels decoded messages, kept well-organized, and forged weapons. But most intriguing, perhaps, is the discovery of whose severed head serves as a mummified relic of the great peasant uprising in the summer of 1381.
Is it the head of a hero or villain that survived? To find out, start watching the peasant revolt here.
