Legal Definitions - hidage

Hidage was a historical land tax in medieval England. It was a payment made to the Crown (the monarch or central government) and was calculated based on the amount of land owned, specifically measured in units called "hides." A hide was an ancient English unit of land, generally understood to be sufficient to support a single household or family, though its precise size could vary geographically and over time. This tax served as an important source of revenue for the Crown for centuries before eventually being replaced by other forms of taxation.

• Example 1: A Lord's Estate

  Imagine a powerful Anglo-Saxon lord in the 11th century who held several manors, collectively assessed at thirty hides of land. Each year, this lord would be obligated to pay a specific amount of hidage to the King, with the total tax directly corresponding to his thirty hides. This payment would contribute to the royal treasury, helping to fund the King's court, military, or other governmental expenses.

• Example 2: Village Contribution

  Consider a small farming village in the 12th century, whose total arable land was officially recorded as eight hides. The village, through its local reeve or lord, would be responsible for collecting and remitting the hidage tax to the Crown. This demonstrates how the tax was often a collective burden on a community, based on its overall land holding, rather than solely on individual plots.

• Example 3: Funding National Defense

  During a period of heightened external threat, such as a potential invasion in the 10th century, the King might have declared a special, higher hidage levy across the kingdom. Landowners and communities would then pay an increased tax per hide, with the specific purpose of raising funds quickly to build fortifications, equip a larger army, or maintain a fleet of ships. This illustrates how hidage could be adapted as a tool for national defense funding.