DANEGELD


Meaning of DANEGELD in English

n [ U ]

a land tax that was introduced in Anglo-Saxon England in 991 in order to raise money to pay the Danes not to attack southern England. The payments of Danegeld only delayed the attack until 1013 when the Danish king Sweyn I brought England under Danish control. The tax was introduced again by the Normans in the 11th century to pay for national defence.

Oxford guide to British and American culture English vocabulary.      Руководство по британской и американской культуре, Оксфордский английский словарь.