Weregild

Weregild, also known as wergild, wergeld, weregeld, or man price, was a value placed on every being and piece of property in the Early Middle Ages and the later Anglo-Saxon period. It was used to determine the financial compensation owed by the perpetrator to the victims or their families in cases of murder, injury, or theft, effectively serving as a system of monetary reparation for crimes and disputes.

Etymology

The term weregild is derived from the Old English wer (meaning man) and geld (meaning payment or fee). Thus, weregild translates to "man-payment," reflecting its primary function as compensation for homicide.

Historical Context

Weregild was a crucial part of the legal systems in Germanic societies, including the Anglo-Saxons, Franks, and Visigoths, among others. The practice is well-documented in various historical sources, such as the Laws of Alfred the Great, the Salic Law, and the Code of Euric. It aimed to prevent blood feuds between families and clans by providing a structured, financial resolution to acts of violence.

Calculation and Payment

The amount of weregild owed was determined by the social status of the victim and the severity of the crime. It was meticulously calculated, often in terms of livestock, land, or precious metals. The system recognized different values for free men, serfs, and nobles, with the weregild for a noble far exceeding that for a commoner. Additionally, specific injuries and offenses had their own set rates, detailed in various legal codes.

Decline and Legacy

The practice of weregild gradually declined with the centralization of legal authority in emerging European states and the adoption of Roman law principles. By the High Middle Ages, weregild was largely replaced by fines paid to the state and other forms of legal restitution. However, the concept of financial compensation for injury or death has persisted in various forms, influencing modern legal systems.

See Also

• Blood feud
• Diyya, a concept in Islamic law similar to weregild
• Gavelkind, a system of inheritance associated with the payment of weregild
• Lex Frisionum, a collection of Frisian laws including weregild regulations