Feudal system and money

afro-elf · 10-22-2003, 07:38 AM

How did it work?

Serfs and peasants worked the land and paid taxes. Were taxes soley their share of food or something else.

Was it a mixture of coins and barter?

Spock · 10-22-2003, 08:34 AM

From my readings some paid in food and animal tribute and merchants often paid in coin derived from their trade. There are many instances where weathly land owners paid in both food stuffs, animals and coin.
Hope this helps.

Coney II · 10-22-2003, 10:43 AM

The taxes were usually taken from the product of their own work.

Peasants were alloted land to work (not individual plots....several families would work together on the same field etc) tithes (taxes) were taken from the years produce and the remainder given to the serfs to survive on (their Lord owned the land, and therefore everthing that was grown on it, obviously the percentage he took from a serf was at his discretion). A serfs fortunes were totally reliant on the success of a harvest, health of their animals etc. A good year would yeild excess that could be sold for coinage, or, more usually the barter system......a bad year meant that often the serfs were totally relliant on their crops to see them through the winter months.

Serfs were unable (by law) to purchase land. Coin (or the accumulation of wealth) was of little practical use to them. The barter system became much more important to practical survival

afro-elf · 10-22-2003, 10:03 PM

Thanks you for the replies coney and spock.

10-22-2003, 07:38 AM	#1
afro-elf Hoplite Nomad Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 3,931	Feudal system and money How did it work? Serfs and peasants worked the land and paid taxes. Were taxes soley their share of food or something else. Was it a mixture of coins and barter? __________________ About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer.

10-22-2003, 08:34 AM	#2
Spock An enigma in a conundrum Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 6,476	$ From my readings some paid in food and animal tribute and merchants often paid in coin derived from their trade. There are many instances where weathly land owners paid in both food stuffs, animals and coin. Hope this helps. __________________ Vizzini: "HE DIDN'T FALL?! INCONCEIVABLE!!" Inigo: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

10-22-2003, 10:43 AM	#3
Coney II Elven Warrior Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: uk Posts: 134	The taxes were usually taken from the product of their own work. Peasants were alloted land to work (not individual plots....several families would work together on the same field etc) tithes (taxes) were taken from the years produce and the remainder given to the serfs to survive on (their Lord owned the land, and therefore everthing that was grown on it, obviously the percentage he took from a serf was at his discretion). A serfs fortunes were totally reliant on the success of a harvest, health of their animals etc. A good year would yeild excess that could be sold for coinage, or, more usually the barter system......a bad year meant that often the serfs were totally relliant on their crops to see them through the winter months. Serfs were unable (by law) to purchase land. Coin (or the accumulation of wealth) was of little practical use to them. The barter system became much more important to practical survival Last edited by Coney II : 10-22-2003 at 10:45 AM.

10-22-2003, 10:03 PM	#4
afro-elf Hoplite Nomad Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 3,931	Thanks you for the replies coney and spock. __________________ About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer. Last edited by afro-elf : 10-22-2003 at 10:10 PM.

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