Danegeld

Quick Facts: Who was Danegeld?

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Danegeld

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A historical tax levied in England to pay tribute or protection money to Viking raiders.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Danegeld (; literally "Dane yield") was a tax raised to pay tribute or protection money to the Viking raiders to save a land from being ravaged. It was called the geld or gafol in eleventh-century sources. It was characteristic of royal policy in both England and Francia during the ninth through eleventh centuries, collected both as tributary, to buy off the attackers, and as stipendiary, to pay the defensive forces. The term Danegeld did not appear until the late eleventh century. In Anglo-Saxon England tribute payments to the Danes was known as gafol and the levy raised to support the standing army, for the defence of the realm, was known as heregeld (army-tax).

Career & Major Achievements

In England, a hide was notionally an area of land sufficient to support one family, but their true size and economic value varied enormously. The hide's purpose was as a unit of assessment and was the basis for the land-tax that became known as Danegeld. Initially it was levied as a tribute to buy off Viking invaders but after the Danish Conquest of 1016 it was retained as a permanent land-tax to pay for the realm's defence. The Viking expeditions to England were usually led by the Danish kings, but they were composed of warriors from all over Scandinavia, and they eventually brought home more than 100 tonnes of silver. Although the tribute payments made to the Vikings, prior to the Norman Conquest, are commonly known as Danegeld, the payments were at the time actually called gafol, meaning "tax" or "tribute".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1012 Æthelred the Unready introduced an annual land tax to pay for a force of Scandinavian mercenaries, led by Thorkell the Tall, to help defend the realm. Following Æthelred the kings of England used the same tax collection method to fund their own standing armies; this was known as heregeld (army-tax). Heregeld was abolished by Edward the Confessor in 1051. It was the Norman administration who called the tax Danegeld. An English payment of 10,000 Roman pounds (3,300 kg) of silver was first made in 991 following the Viking victory at the Battle of Maldon in Essex, when Æthelred was advised by Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the aldermen of the south-western provinces to buy off the Vikings rather than continue the armed struggle.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1012: 1012 Milestone — In 1012 Æthelred the Unready introduced an annual land tax to pay for a force of Scandinavian mercenaries, led by Thorkell the Tall, to help defend the realm.
2. 1016: 1016 Milestone — Initially it was levied as a tribute to buy off Viking invaders but after the Danish Conquest of 1016 it was retained as a permanent land-tax to pay for the realm's defence.
3. 1051: 1051 Milestone — Heregeld was abolished by Edward the Confessor in 1051.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Danegeld

True or False: “The term 'Danegeld' was used by the Anglo-Saxons from the beginning of the Viking raids.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The term Danegeld did not appear until the late eleventh century; earlier payments were known as gafol or heregeld.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Casimir I the Restorer — Historical peer (Born in 1016) (1016): Duke of Poland and Piast dynasty member, known for restoring Polish lands.
• Ferdinand I of León — Historical peer (Born in 1016) (1016): King of León and Count of Castile, known as 'the Great' for consolidating the western Iberian realm.
• Marpa Lotsawa — Historical peer (Born in 1012) (1012): Pioneering Tibetan Buddhist teacher credited with transmitting Vajrayana teachings from India.
• Bi Sheng — Historical peer (Died in 1051) (1051): Pioneering Chinese inventor of the world's first movable type printing system.

Frequently Asked Questions about Danegeld