Chiefage facts for kids
A chiefage (sometimes called chevage) was a special kind of payment or tax in olden times. It was like a tribute paid by people to their lords or powerful leaders. Think of it as a way to show respect or to get protection.
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What Was Chiefage?
Chiefage was a payment, often made yearly. It was usually paid by people who worked on land owned by a lord. This payment was a way to show they recognized the lord's power over them.
Payments for Protection
Sometimes, chiefage was a sum of money given to a powerful person. This was done to get their help and protection. It was like paying someone to be your "chief" or protector.
Chiefage in Wales
A famous legal writer named Edward Coke wrote about a type of chiefage in Wales. It was called amabyr. This payment was made to the Prince of Wales. It was paid when daughters of certain families got married. Long ago, many people paid it, but by Coke's time, only some families still did.
Chiefage for Jewish People
In medieval England, Jewish people also paid a form of chiefage. It was a small tax paid per person, usually three pence. This payment was made every year around Easter.
The word "chiefage" comes from the old French word chef, which means "head." So, it was often a "head tax" or a payment from the "head" of a household.
See also
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Chiefage". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st). (1728). James and John Knapton, et al.
