Merchet facts for kids

A merchet was a special payment made in England during the Middle Ages. It was like a fee paid when a peasant woman wanted to get married, especially if she was marrying someone from a different area or 'manor'. This payment went to her lord, who was the powerful person in charge of the land she lived on.

What Was a Merchet?

A merchet was a type of fine or fee. It was a payment made when a woman who lived on a lord's land, often called a peasant, was going to get married. This payment was a common part of life in medieval England, especially for people who worked the land.

Why Was it Paid?

The main reason a merchet was paid was because of how society was set up back then. Most people lived and worked on large estates called manors, which belonged to a powerful lord. The people living on the manor were tied to the land and provided labor for the lord.

If a woman from one manor married a man from another, she would usually move to her husband's manor. This meant her original lord would lose a worker. The merchet was a way to make up for this loss. It was like a payment for the lord's permission to let one of his workers leave.

Who Paid and Who Received?

The merchet was usually paid by the father of the woman who was getting married. Sometimes, the woman herself or her future husband might contribute. The money was always paid to the lord of the manor where the woman lived. This showed the lord's control over the people on his land and their lives.