Who decided when taxes should be paid?

Who decided when taxes should be paid?

• A. The king
• B. The church
• C. The merchants
• D. The local guilds

Answer: (A)

Taxes in medieval England were a royal matter. The king, with the Exchequer, controlled the timing of payments and could demand duties, aids, or feudal dues as needed. Parliament might grant new taxes, but it did not set the schedule for when existing taxes were due. The church operated its own system of tithes and ecclesiastical dues based on the church calendar, not royal payment dates, while merchants and local guilds paid duties and levies according to crown proclamations and procedures, not on their own timetable. So, the decision about when taxes should be paid rests with the king.

Taxes in medieval England were a royal matter. The king, with the Exchequer, controlled the timing of payments and could demand duties, aids, or feudal dues as needed. Parliament might grant new taxes, but it did not set the schedule for when existing taxes were due. The church operated its own system of tithes and ecclesiastical dues based on the church calendar, not royal payment dates, while merchants and local guilds paid duties and levies according to crown proclamations and procedures, not on their own timetable. So, the decision about when taxes should be paid rests with the king.