Legal Definitions - scottare

Scottare is a historical legal term that refers to the act of paying a tax or making a compulsory financial contribution, often to a lord, monarch, or governing authority.

• Example 1: In a medieval village, a peasant farmer named Elara was required to give a portion of her annual harvest, such as a tenth of her wheat and a certain number of chickens, to the local baron who owned the land she worked.

  Explanation: Elara's mandatory contribution of her produce to the baron exemplifies scottare, as it was a historical form of tax payment or feudal obligation for the right to cultivate the land and reside within the baron's domain.

• Example 2: A merchant in a 13th-century port city, upon bringing a ship full of imported textiles and spices, would have been obligated to pay a specific duty or levy to the city's customs officials before his goods could be sold in the market.

  Explanation: The merchant's payment of this compulsory charge on his imported goods to the city authorities is an instance of scottare, representing a historical tax or tariff imposed on trade.

• Example 3: A nobleman in a feudal kingdom, granted a large estate by the king, might have been required to make an annual payment of silver or provide a certain number of armed knights for the royal army as a condition of holding his lands.

  Explanation: This regular payment or service, rendered by the nobleman to the crown for the privilege of his land tenure, illustrates scottare as a historical form of tax or feudal obligation tied to land ownership.