In Anglo-Saxon England, a tax or tribute paid to support the army or military forces, particularly mercenary soldiers.
From Old English 'here' (army) and 'geld' (payment/tribute). The term appears in historical records of early medieval England describing military taxation and maintenance of armed forces.
Before standing armies and taxes as we know them, 'heregeld' was literally how kings paid Viking mercenaries and soldiers—basically an early version of defense spending that sometimes backfired spectacularly!
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