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| A Kings Ransom |
Meaning:
A king’s ransom is used when we are expressing an
unspecific but large amount of money.
Example Sentence:
“Don’t laugh—she makes a king’s ransom selling clothing for pets.”
Origin:
This idiom is said to be around since the Middle
Ages, and it is referring to an actual sum of money, the amount required to
gain the freedom of a king who was being held prisoner due to a wartime
capture.
During wars in the Middle Ages, each participant had
a price on their head; the richer and more influential the person captured, the
more money could be obtained to secure their release.
Historical
research has shown that there was a well-organized trade in the captives of war
and the capturing of high-ranking prisoners, which led to a significant bonus
in the income of the capturing forces.
Of course, kings were the wealthiest and provided
the greatest bounty. In 1192 the Duke of Austria captured The English king, King
Richard I. A price of 100,000 pounds in silver was demanded (and eventually
obtained) for his release. This transition led to the meaning of the phrase 'a
king's ransom' from the literal price for the release of a king to a figurative
name for an exceedingly large sum of money.
The first written record of a king’s ransom was in
1525. Written in old English, it read:
(Talis Fyve Bestes - "A kyngis ransoun it was worth & maire.")
Today we
use a king’s ransom simply to denote a large amount of money - no kings or
their release being involved.
Watch this on YouTube here - Royalty - YouTube Video
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