Close Menu
NERDBOT
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    Subscribe
    NERDBOT
    • News
      • Reviews
    • Movies & TV
    • Comics
    • Gaming
    • Collectibles
    • Science & Tech
    • Culture
    • Nerd Voices
    • About Us
      • Join the Team at Nerdbot
    NERDBOT
    Home»Nerd Culture»Food»Medieval English People Used Eels to Pay Rent and Taxes
    Wikimedia Commons
    Food

    Medieval English People Used Eels to Pay Rent and Taxes

    Breana CeballosBy Breana CeballosOctober 26, 20202 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

    So something a little weird about medieval England is that they used to use eels as currency. That’s right they would charge a certain number of eels for rent as well as their taxes. This is all according to eel scholar Dr. Greenlee on twitter.

    So may great questions! I'll try to get to them in coming days. But, briefly:

    There were LOTS of eels in medieval England. People ate them, traded them, wrote about them, & paid taxes in them. In 1200 there were 500k+ eels being paid in in-kind taxation each year. Here's a map! pic.twitter.com/tHlHqDCDKZ

    — Surprised Eel Historian, PhD (@greenleejw) December 12, 2019

    Folks in early medieval England often paid their rents using eels. Some eel-rents were small (25-50 eels). But some were quite large.

    The village of Welles, for example, paid Ramsey Monastery 60,000 eels every year in rent. 60,000!

    And you thought your rent was hard to manage! pic.twitter.com/pgKp9VoOR2

    — Surprised Eel Historian, PhD (@greenleejw) October 1, 2020

    Do you want more eel trade in your city? Have you thought about cutting taxes? It's what Richard II did.

    In 1392 the king cut tariffs on eels being imported to London to encourage merchants to bring eels "from over sea, where they are abundant, to London where they are dear." pic.twitter.com/bArOY9Xdoh

    — Surprised Eel Historian, PhD (@greenleejw) September 25, 2020

    Recently he spoke with TIME about the unusual currency. They say:

    Scholar Thomas Bradwardine‘s 14th century book of mnemonics likens eels to England, advising readers to imagine the King of England holding in “his right hand an eel [anguilla ] wriggling about greatly, which will give you ‘England’ [Anglia ].” Family crests boasted eels. In the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England by William the Conquerer in the 11th century, the image of Anglo-Saxon King Harold shows him above a pile of eels. An Englishman in the bottom border is holding an eel the wrong way—by the tail, rather than the head—perhaps symbolizing Harold’s hold on the English throne, represented by eels, slipping away.

    In 1086, when the Normans undertook a study to figure out how people lived in the countryside they had conquered and how much it was worth, known as the Domesday Study, they collected more mentions of rents paid in eels than any other in-kind tax. When the survey was conducted, the English likely owed some 500,000 eels in taxes to landlords around that time.

    Curiously this form of currency didn’t hold up over time. But it’s interesting that it ever existed in the first place. I guess that this gave people more of a fair shot to start from nothing. I mean all you needed was a couple of eels and you were good. And not only would you use eels as currency but you could also eat them, so if you had extra it would be like eating your money. Which would have impacted your profit margin but eh, treat yourself right?

    Do You Want to Know More?

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleColourPop x Baby Yoda Eye-Shadow Palette Coming Soon!
    Next Article Jeff Bridges Shares His Lymphoma Diagnosis With Fans
    Breana Ceballos
    • Website

    Anime enthusiast, Hearthstone Battleground addict.

    Related Posts

    Why Your Jasmine Rice Is Gummy (and How to Fix It)

    July 2, 2025

    Retro, Radiant & Ready for Summer: Unique Vintage’s 4th of July Sale Is Here!

    July 2, 2025

    “A SMART AND COURAGEOUS CHILD” by Miki Yamamoto Nominated for 2025 American Manga Award

    July 2, 2025

    Build a Lich King with Fanhome’s Epic New Model Subscription

    July 1, 2025

    Kurta Sets vs. Western Wear: Why Ethnic Co-Ords Are Winning 2025

    July 1, 2025

    Meet TeeTurtle’s Adorably Oversized Plushies- Cloudheads!

    July 1, 2025
    • Latest
    • News
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Reviews

    The Complete Guide to Tree Stump Removal: Methods, Tools, and Tips

    July 5, 2025

    Transforming Outdoor Spaces: The Power of Professional Landscaping

    July 5, 2025

    Safeguarding the Future: How Proactive Measures Reduce Wildfire Risk

    July 5, 2025

    Safeguarding Information Integrity in the Digital Age

    July 5, 2025

    The F11PRO 2 Drone – Pro-Level Performance Meets Sleek Design

    July 3, 2025

    President Trump Will “Look” at Deporting Elon Musk

    July 2, 2025

    Revitalize Your Mind and Body: How New Image Wellness Transforms Mental Well-being

    July 2, 2025

    Netflix to Stream NASA Launches, Missions, and More

    June 30, 2025

    James Gunn Reveals Official “Superman” Spotify Playlist

    July 5, 2025

    Keith David Moved To Tears By Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

    July 4, 2025

    “Reservoir Dogs” Star Michael Madsen has Passed Away

    July 3, 2025

    Marisa Abela Joins Chad Stahelski’s “Highlander”

    July 2, 2025

    CD Projekt Red Confirm “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2” with Teaser

    July 5, 2025

    “Trainwreck: Storm Area 51” Gets Teaser for Netflix Docu

    July 2, 2025

    Neil Druckmann Leaves HBO’s “Last of Us” Ahead of Season 3

    July 2, 2025

    First Look at Chatsubo Bar from Apple TV+’s “Neuromancer” Series

    July 1, 2025

    The F11PRO 2 Drone – Pro-Level Performance Meets Sleek Design

    July 3, 2025
    "M3GAN," 2025

    “M3GAN 2.0” A Sequel That Forgets to Have Fun [Review]

    June 29, 2025

    “F1: The Movie” Thrilling Cars, Crash and Burn Story [Review]

    June 28, 2025

    “28 Years Later” We Live, We Die, Life Goes On [Review]

    June 21, 2025
    Check Out Our Latest
      • Product Reviews
      • Reviews
      • SDCC 2021
      • SDCC 2022
    Related Posts

    None found

    NERDBOT
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    Nerdbot is owned and operated by Nerds! If you have an idea for a story or a cool project send us a holler on [email protected]

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.