Danegeld
Danegeld, also known as the Danegeld Tax, was a tax levied in England to pay off Vikings to prevent them from raiding or to encourage them to leave the country. Here is detailed information on the subject:
Historical Context
- Origins: The practice of paying off Vikings began in the late 9th century during the Viking Age, a period of Norse expansion. Initially, payments were made to individual Viking leaders to prevent attacks or to secure peace.
- First Official Payment: The first recorded official payment of Danegeld was made by King Alfred the Great of Wessex in 878 to Guthrum, a Viking leader, following the Battle of Edington.
Institutionalization
- Regular Taxation: By the late 10th century, under King Ethelred the Unready, Danegeld became a regular tax imposed on the English population to fund payments to the Vikings. Ethelred paid what was known as the gafol, a large tribute, to various Viking armies.
- Amounts: The sums paid as Danegeld were substantial. For instance, in 991, Ethelred paid 10,000 pounds of silver to the Vikings led by Olaf Tryggvason. Over the years, the total amount paid in Danegeld might have reached hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Economic and Social Impact
- Economic Strain: The tax placed a considerable financial burden on the Anglo-Saxon economy, leading to widespread discontent among the populace, who were already struggling with Viking raids and the instability they caused.
- Feudal System: The need for regular taxation to fund these payments contributed to the development of the feudal system in England, where land was granted in exchange for military service or payment of taxes.
End of Danegeld
- Norman Conquest: With the Norman Conquest in 1066, the Danegeld continued to be collected, but its purpose shifted from paying off Vikings to funding the new Norman administration. However, by the early 12th century, under King Henry I, the tax was largely discontinued.
Legacy
- Historical Records: The collection of Danegeld contributed to the development of the Domesday Book, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror to assess the taxable value of his kingdom.
- Cultural Impact: The concept of paying off invaders has left a cultural mark in English literature and folklore, often cited as a precedent for appeasement.
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