gabelle
noun
ga·belle gə-ˈbel 
: a tax on salt levied in France prior to 1790
Word History
Etymology
Middle English gabell, borrowed from Middle French gabelle, going back to Old French, "tax on certain commodities," borrowed from Italian gabella, borrowed from Arabic qabāla "tribute," derivative of qabila "receive"
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above