Happy Tithesday Ladies and Villeins!
We're now a year into these bi-weekly blog posts and Under The Yoke development has come a long way. With the Christmas season on the horizon, we'd like to celebrate Under The Yoke reaching a playable (Alpha-ish) stage with a blog post next week on the development of Under The Yoke.
For now I would like to entertain you all with a little history on paying Tithes in Medieval England and as always a look into Under The Yoke's Tithing simulation.
In History
In Medieval England tithes were a form of tax paid to the Church. The practice of paying tithes was based on the Bible, in which God commanded the Israelites to give a tenth of their crops and livestock to the Levites, who were the priests in ancient Israel. Tithes were typically paid in the form of agricultural products, such as grains, fruits, and animals. The exact amount that people were required to pay in tithes varied depending on their wealth and the specific customs of the local Church. Generally, however, tithes were considered a crucial source of income for the Church, and they were used to support the clergy and to maintain church buildings and other institutions.
The process of paying a tithe as a peasant would have been a significant financial burden. As a peasant, you would have been required to pay a portion of your crops and livestock to the church, often amounting to 10% of your total production.
Paying a tithe would have involved bringing your produce or other goods to the tithing barns, where it would be assessed by the clergy or other officials. If you were unable to pay the full amount, you may have been required to pay in labor or other forms of compensation. In some cases, the church may have provided assistance to those who were unable to pay their tithe, but this would have been at the discretion of the clergy.
Tithing barns were buildings used in medieval England to store tithes, which were taxes on agricultural produce and other goods. These barns were typically owned and operated by the local church or monastery, and they were used to collect and store the tithes paid by peasants and other members of the community.
When a peasant brought their tithes to the tithing barn, they would be assessed by church officials to determine the amount of their payment. The tithes would then be stored in the barn until they could be distributed to the church or used to provide assistance to those in need. The barns were typically large and well-constructed, in order to protect the tithes from damage or theft.
Tithing barns played a crucial role in the medieval economy and the operation of the church. They allowed the church to collect and store the tithes that were an important source of income, and they also helped to ensure that the tithes were distributed fairly and used for their intended purposes. Despite their importance, tithing barns are now a rare sight in England, as the practice of paying tithes was abolished in the 19th century.
These tithes would then be used as a way for the church to raise funds for its operations and provide for the poor, and it was also a way for the peasantry to support the religious institutions that were an important part of their lives.
In Under The Yoke
Year by year you will have to pay your tithe to the church, shortly after you finalise your taxes to your Lord (either through labour or payment of cash or goods.)
The game will calculate your net value from the year prior to the current year and you will need to pay 10% of that value in cash or goods. In the event that your total value has decreased however you will not need to pay for that year.
This is a pretty simplified version of Medieval Tithing but it's a worthwhile feature to represent the struggle for medieval peasants to grow out of their existing station.
Righto, I promise we'll have that behind the scenes blog for you before Christmas. If that sounds like it tickles your fancy, subscribe to the email list using the form below, we only ever send out emails pertaining to new Under The Yoke development blog posts.
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