What was the geld tax originally used to pay off?

• A. To pay off the Vikings (Danegeld)
• B. To fund the church
• C. To build roads
• D. To pay soldiers

Answer: (A)

The money called geld was first raised to buy peace with Viking raiders. In late Anglo-Saxon England, rulers faced devastating raids from Denmark, and a practical (though unpopular) way to stop the attacks was to pay tribute to the Danes. The term Danegeld literally means Danish tax, reflecting its original purpose: to pay off the Vikings rather than try to defeat them in costly battles. It wasn’t initially a fund for churches, roads, or soldiers—those would come from other kinds of taxation or royal spending. So the best answer is that the geld tax was originally used to pay off the Vikings.