Legal Definitions - pedage

Pedage is a historical legal term referring to a payment made as a toll for the right to travel across land owned by another individual or entity. This practice was common in various historical periods, particularly when private landowners controlled key routes, bridges, or passages, and charged a fee for their use.

• Example 1: Medieval Merchant's Passage

  Imagine a medieval merchant transporting valuable spices from a port city to an inland market town. To avoid a much longer and more dangerous detour, the merchant chooses to pass directly through the extensive estate of a powerful local duke. At the entrance to the duke's lands, a guard demands a specific sum of money before granting permission for the merchant and his caravan to proceed safely. This payment, made to the duke for the right to traverse his private property, would be considered a pedage.

• Example 2: Feudal Village Access

  In a feudal society, a small village's most direct route to its communal pasture and water source involved crossing a narrow strip of land that belonged to a neighboring noble. To ensure their livestock could access these vital resources, the villagers collectively paid an annual fee to the noble for the ongoing privilege of using this specific path. This regular payment, enabling them to travel across the noble's land, exemplifies a pedage.

• Example 3: Early Modern Bridge Toll

  Consider a traveler in the 17th century needing to cross a wide river to reach a neighboring city. The most efficient way was via a sturdy stone bridge that had been privately constructed and was maintained by a wealthy landowner. As the traveler approached the bridge, a gatekeeper collected a small coin before allowing passage. This payment, given to the landowner for the right to use their privately owned bridge (which facilitates travel across their land or an area under their control), is a form of pedage.