Scutage Definition & Meaning

Origin of Scutage

Middle English from Medieval Latin scūtāgium from Latin scūtum shield scutum

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English, from Medieval Latin scutagium, from Latin scutum (“ shield")

From Wiktionary

In November he met some of his nobles at Bury St Edmunds, but as they still refused to pay the scutage no agreement was reached.
Having thus disposed of this matter, the grievances of the barons are again considered, the vexed question of scutage being dealt with.
Moreover, after the knight's liability to personal service in war had been modified in the 12th century by the scutage system, it became necessary in the first quarter of the r3th to compel landowners to take up the knighthood which in theory they should have coveted as an honour - a compulsion which was soon systematically enforced (Distraint of Knighthood, 1278), and became a recognized source of royal income.
Henry developed as far as he was able the system of scutage (q.v.) which his grandfather had apparently invented; by this the vassal compounded for his forty days personal service by paying money, with which the king could hire professional soldiers.
William did not, however, owe more service to the Crown than before, for in 1230 he paid scutage on 9?

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