A social uprising in England. Widespread unrest caused by repressive legislation, such as the Statute of Labourers (1351) was brought to a head by the imposition of the poll tax of 1380. The revolt drew support from artisans, villeins, and the destitute. Men from Kent and Essex, led by Wat Tyler and John Ball, entered London, massacring some merchants and razing the palace of the Duke of Lancaster. The young king Richard II promised the men the abolition of serfdom, cheap land, and free trade. The rebels then occupied the Tower of London and beheaded the Archbishop and the king’s Treasurer. The king persuaded the rebels to disperse, promising them further reforms. Tyler was murdered by the enraged Mayor of London, and the militant bishop of Norwich crushed the rebels in East Anglia. The government re-established control and reneged on the monarch’s promise. The revolt succeeded only as a protest against the taxation of the poor and the further levying of the Poll Tax.