Corn Riots

The Corn Riots, also known as the Jersey Revolution, was an uprising which took place in Jersey on 28 September 1771. Angered by the administration of Lieutenant Bailiff Charles Lemprière, hundreds of Jerseymen marched from the north of the island to the south and occupied the Royal Court. The uprising was a significant point in Jersey political history, as the powers of legislation were removed from the Royal Court and placed in the States Assembly.

The causes of the uprising were centred around the balance of power between the island's parliament, the States, and the Royal Court, both of which had powers to create legislation. An anti-Seigneurial sentiment – opposition to the feudal economic system – also contributed to the uprising. The spark for the uprising was a corn shortage, in part caused by decisions of the ruling classes, which turned the urban population against the States.