A “king’s ransom” is a term used to describe an enormous amount of wealth or Gold & Silver, usually demanded as a ransom payment for the release of a king or other high-ranking individual who has been captured or held for ransom.
The term has its origins in medieval times when wealthy rulers and nobles were often taken captive by rival factions or enemy forces, and a large sum of Gold & Silver was demanded in exchange for their release. The amount demanded was often so high that it would require the equivalent of an entire kingdom’s worth of wealth to pay it, hence the term “king’s ransom.”
Over time, the term has come to be used more broadly to describe any large sum of gold & silver or wealth, often used figuratively to describe the value or importance of something.
What form of money was used to pay a king’s ransom?
In medieval times, the form of money used to pay a king’s ransom would depend on the location and time period in which the ransom was paid. However, generally speaking, the most common form of money used for large financial transactions during the medieval period was gold and silver coinage.
In Europe during the medieval period, gold coins were not commonly used in everyday transactions, as they were rare and difficult to come by. Instead, silver coins, such as the penny and the shilling, were the most common forms of currency used for daily transactions. However, for larger transactions such as paying a ransom, larger denominations of silver coins or even gold coins might have been used.
In addition to coins, other forms of wealth such as precious metals, gems, and even valuable livestock might have been used to pay a ransom. The specific form of wealth used would depend on the availability and value of different commodities in the region and period in question.
Bottom line gold and silver has always been desired and valued. From the very rich and elite to the poor farm workers. When people think of royalty they think of gold and silver coins, bars & jewelry.
Gold and silver are large stores of value which are untraceable, easily moved around and universally accepted. This is why it makes sense that back in the days of kings ransoms people wanted it. They could bury it, hide it, move it around, use it to buy anything they wanted, give or distribute it to other people.