Word info Synonyms

weregild

Noun

Meaning

The price of a man's head; a compensation paid of a man killed, partly to the king for the loss of a subject, partly to the lord of a vassal, and partly to the next of kin. It was paid by the murderer.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

Examples

Similarly, among the Alamanni the basic weregild for a free man was 200 shillings, and the amount could be doubled or tripled according to the man's rank. Source: Internet

The weregild for a Welshman was 220 shillings if he owned at least one hide of land and was able to pay the king's tribute. Source: Internet

Unfree serfs did not command a weregild, and the recompense paid in the event of their death was merely for material damage, 15 shillings in the case of the Alamanni, increased to 40 or 50 if the victim had been a skilled artisan. Source: Internet

Amount The size of the weregild was largely conditional upon the social rank of the victim. Source: Internet

During the reign of Charlemagne his missi dominici required three times the regular weregild should they be killed whilst on a mission from the king. Source: Internet

If property was stolen, or someone was injured or killed, the guilty person would have to pay weregild as restitution to the victim's family or to the owner of the property. Source: Internet

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