Danegeld

The Danegeld was an English tax raised to pay off Viking raiders (usually led by the Danish king) to save the land from being ravaged by the raiders.

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Danegeld was continued later under the name tallage. The term has come to mean protection money, or any coercive payment.

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This kind of payment was not unique for England. According to Snorri Sturluson and Rimbert, Finland and the Baltic states paid the same kind of tribute to the Swedes. In fact, the Primary chronicle relates that the regions paying protection money extended east towards Moscow, until the Finnish and Slavic tribes rebelled, fell into disarray and invited Rurik. Similarly, the Sami peoples were frequently forced to pay tribute in the form of pelts.

English: English in common usage may refer to:...

Viking: The name Viking is a borrowed word from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, the British Isles, and other parts of Europe from the late 8th century to the 11th century. Vikings traveled to the west and Varangians to the east. This period of Europe...

Danish: Danish may refer to:...