William the Conqueror's Sons

William the Conqueror had Robert inherit Normandy, William II inherit England, and Henry getting a big lump sum of cash. He had his boys Robert and William swear to make each other heirs over their own sons and for Will to give a pension to Henry.

Oddly enough, Will II felt Robert got the best deal... (apparently he can't measure landmass sizes?)

That's not the point. How much $$$ did Henry get from his father? 50,000 pounds? Or do they use ducets? Whatever it is, how much is it in normail terms, and how much pure gold is it worth? Or just tell me the nominal amount, I can convert I guess
 
It's harder to measure these kinds of things in this period, and very hard to just calculate a nominal value. Finely made goods and tools were much more expensive, and the price of food could fluctuate wildly, which never happens today. The cost of services and labor were much lower back then, too.

Anyway if I remember correctly, Henry Beauclerc received 5000 pounds at his father's death. By comparison, there were about 37,500 pounds in circulation in England in 1086. In 1129 the Exchequer collected 23,000 pounds for the king, but this probably didn't include some court fines, among other income. In 1101 Henry I paid 500 pounds per year for the service of 1000 knights. In 1129 6000 pounds were collected by the Exchequer from the royal lands themselves, Henry's demesne, including feudal reliefs. Scutage, and forest fines and fees and taxes, all figured into the king's income. There was also geld, the nationwide tax levied on all men.

But anyway, now you know. 500 pounds for 1000 knights for a year, a penny for a loaf of bread (iirc). A loaf of bread is about 3 to 6 US dollars, so a pound is 700 or 1500 dollars. Very roughly, though.
 
Also at this time there were no actual pounds or shillings, literally everything was in pennies. 240 pennies to the pound, usually jingling in a sack.
 
Derp... somehow I thought reply 3 was reply 2 (which if correct meant that there was nothing between the OP and "literally everything was in pennies. 240 pennies to the pound, usually jingling in a sack"
 
Derp... somehow I thought reply 3 was reply 2 (which if correct meant that there was nothing between the OP and "literally everything was in pennies. 240 pennies to the pound, usually jingling in a sack"
Makes sense :D It's all good man, we had a good giggle. Are you thinking of maybe writing something?
 
I am thinking about writing something, but it's not about William I's sons. I just wanted to get a perspective of Anglo-Norman Wealth (with William I obviously being one on the top, so what he leaves behind for his sons is a good proxy) and you helped quite a bit. I didn't anticipate you telling me the royal demense income, which is very helpful, possibly more so that my original request.
 
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