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A Kings Ransom

 

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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