- Feudal Obligations: Peasants were often tied to the land as serfs, subject to their lord’s arbitrary justice and labor demands. They lacked political voice and legal protections.
- Nobility’s Privileges: The stark contrast between noble luxury and peasant hardship bred resentment. Lords often enjoyed immunity from certain laws and could impose harsh punishments.
- Corruption and Abuse: Local officials and tax collectors were frequently corrupt, exploiting peasants further and inciting grievances.
This social inequality made peasants feel marginalized and oppressed by a system designed to benefit elites.
Political Factors and Power Struggles
Peasant rebellions were also shaped by larger political conflicts.
- Weak or Absent Central Authority: During times when monarchs were weak or distracted by wars, peasants seized the opportunity to challenge local lords or demand reforms.
- Wars and Military Service: Peasants were often conscripted for wars they neither supported nor benefited from, increasing their hostility towards rulers.
- Influence of Radical Ideas: In some rebellions, such as the German Peasants’ War, religious and political ideas—sometimes inspired by the Reformation—encouraged peasants to demand equality and justice.
Thus, peasant revolts sometimes intertwined with broader movements for political change. shutdown123