Legal Definitions - bothagium

Bothagium is a historical legal term referring to a customary payment made to a feudal lord or landowner for the privilege of setting up a temporary stall or booth at a market or fair held on their property.

These payments were not based on a formal contract but on long-standing tradition and custom. They compensated the lord for the use of their land for commercial activities and for the right to trade within their domain.

• Example 1: The Annual Harvest Fair

  Imagine a medieval village where a local carpenter wishes to sell their handcrafted wooden tools at the annual harvest fair. This fair is traditionally held on land owned by the local baron. Before setting up their display table and awning, the carpenter would be required to pay bothagium to the baron. This payment grants them the right to occupy a specific space and conduct trade during the fair, acknowledging the baron's ownership and control over the market grounds.

• Example 2: A Traveling Cloth Merchant

  Consider a traveling merchant specializing in fine linens who moves from town to town, participating in weekly markets. Each town's market square is under the jurisdiction of a different lord. When the merchant arrives in a new town and wishes to erect their stall to display their goods, they would pay bothagium to that particular lord. This payment is a traditional fee for the temporary use of the lord's market space, allowing the merchant to legally sell their wares within that lord's territory.

• Example 3: A Baker at a Special Festival

  Suppose a village baker wants to sell freshly baked bread and pastries at a special religious festival, which is being held on the grounds of the local monastery, controlled by an abbot (acting as a lord). To set up a small, temporary stand to sell their goods to the festival-goers, the baker would pay bothagium to the abbot. This customary fee ensures the baker has a legitimate place to trade during the event, recognizing the monastery's authority over the festival site.