Saladin Tithe - Collection of The Tithe

Collection of The Tithe

It was a literal tithe of 10% on revenues and movable properties. The tithe was assessed by dioceses, rather than by shires, and local sheriffs had no role in collection of the tithe. The money was collected instead by the local priest or bishop, the dean of the local church, the local baron, and a sergeant of the king, as well as, notably, a Knight Templar and a Knight Hospitaller, whose orders were especially concerned with the defense of the Holy Land. Assessments were made by oaths in rural areas, and by a jury in urban areas. Certain items were exempt from assessment:

"This year each man shall give in alms a tenth of his revenues and movables with the exception of the arms, horses and garments of the knights, and likewise with the exception of the horses, books, garments and vestments, and all appurtenances of whatever sort used by clerks in divine service, and the precious stones belonging to both clerks and laymen."

Anyone who joined the crusade was exempt from the tithe altogether. This was meant to encourage participation, and many did indeed join in order to avoid the tallage. All other landowners, both clerics and laymen, had to pay; if anyone disagreed with the assessment of their property, they were imprisoned or excommunicated. While taxes were usually collected by the Exchequer, a separate office with ten tellers was set up to collect the tithe in Salisbury.

According to Gervase of Canterbury, £70,000 was collected from Christians, and another £60,000 was collected from Jews. The amount collected from Jews was more likely £10,000, with another £2,000 collected in 1190. This was the largest tax ever collected in England, although Henry had levied other taxes for assistance to the Holy Land, in 1166 and recently in 1185. The tithe was extremely unpopular, despite the general acknowledgement that it was, in English eyes, for a worthy cause. Because assessments were made by dioceses, Baldwin of Exeter, the Archbishop of Canterbury was especially blamed; wisely, perhaps, he spent most of the year in Wales, preaching the crusade, accompanied by the chronicler Giraldus Cambrensis.

The same tithe was levied in France, but Philip did not have the same centralized government and faced much opposition which he could not control. The tithe was also levied less successfully in England's territories in France. Henry suggested that William the Lion levy the tithe in Scotland, but William refused, and English power did not yet extend so far north as to force the tithe upon the Scots.