Storming The Tower of London
At the same time, a group of rebels led by Johanna Ferrour stormed the Tower of London and summarily executed those hiding there, including the Lord Chancellor (Simon of Sudbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was particularly associated with the poll tax), and the Lord Treasurer (Robert de Hales, the Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitallers of England). Simon Sudbury's part-mummified head is preserved in his home town of Sudbury, clearly showing the axe mark.
Elsewhere in London the Savoy Palace of the king's uncle John of Gaunt was one of the buildings destroyed by the rioters. The unpopular financier Richard Lyons was also captured and beheaded.
Read more about this topic: Peasants' Revolt
Famous quotes containing the words tower of london, tower and/or london:
“If God made me a princess, why didn’t he take a little more time and make my hair so it wouldn’t snarl?”
—Robert N. Lee. Rowland V. Lee. Princess, Tower of London, while the Princess’ mother is combing her hair (1939)
“With the noise of the mourning of the Swattish nation!
Fallen is at length
Its tower of strength;
Its sun is dimmed ere it had nooned;
Dead lies the great Ahkoond,
The great Ahkoond of Swat
Is not!”
—George Thomas Lanigan (1845–1886)
“It doesn’t matter who you vote for, the government always gets in.”
—Graffiti. London (1970s)