Danegeld
/ˈdeɪnɡɛld
/noun [mass noun] historical
1A land tax levied in Anglo-Saxon England during the reign of King Ethelred to raise funds for protection against Danish invaders.This was followed by attempts to buy off the Danes by the payment of immense sums as Danegeld, a course of action suggested by Archbishop Sigeric....
- The time honoured methods of ransom, Danegeld and baptism of Viking leaders continued to be more successful.
- The Danegeld was a tax created by English rulers to pay for the defense of their country from Viking raiders.
1.1Taxes collected for national defence by the Norman kings until 1162.On this basis in the early eleventh century English kings faced with Viking attacks called for payments from all land to pay mercenaries - the so-called Danegeld.
Origin
Late Old English, from Old Norse Danir 'Danes' + gjald 'payment'.