The Practice of the Weregild

-Hrothgar paid a weregild to Beowulf's father.

-A weregild is a value placed on humans/property (the "were" meaning man, and "geld" meaning payment/fee)

If a man is murdered, his value is paid to his family by the murderer (a way to prevent bloodshed).

    - Standard value of a weregild=200 schillings
    -For noblemen=1200 schillings
    - For a King=30,000 schillings (15,000 to family and 15,000 people for kinship)
    -Slaves technically did not have a weregild
     -women=circumstantial (Alamanni=double that of men, Saxons=half)
In some societies, it was determined by religion.

The practice of the Weregild diminished in the Ninth Century, and it became completely obsolete during the Twelfth Century. It was replaced by capital punishment.