Ransom
Encyclopedia
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort
money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.
In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence
Julius Caesar
was captured by pirates near the island of Pharmacusa
, and held until someone paid 50 talents
to free him.
In Europe during the Middle Ages
, ransom became an important custom of chivalric
warfare. An important knight
, especially nobility
or royalty
, was worth a significant sum of money if captured, but nothing if he was killed. For this reason, the practice of ransom contributed to the development of heraldry
, which allowed knights to advertise their identities, and by implication their ransom value, and made them less likely to be killed out of hand. Examples include Richard the Lion Heart and Bertrand du Guesclin
.
When ransom means "payment", the word comes via Old French rançon from Latin redemptio = "buying back": compare "redemption".
In Judaism ransom is called kofer-nefesh . Among other uses, the word was applied to the poll tax
of a half shekel
to be paid by every male above twenty years at the census.
Although ransom is usually demanded only after the kidnapping
of a person, it is not unheard of for thieves to demand ransom for the return of an inanimate object or body part. In 1987, thieves broke into the tomb of Argentinian
president Juan Perón
and stole his hands
; they later demanded $8 million US for their return. The ransom was not paid.
The practice of towing vehicles
and charging towing fees for the vehicle's release, is often euphemized
or referred to as ransoming, especially by opponents of towing. (In Scotland, booting
vehicles on private property is outlawed as extortion
.)
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.
In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
was captured by pirates near the island of Pharmacusa
Pharmakonisi
Farmakonisi is a small Greek island of the Dodecanese prefecture. Alternative names are Pharmakos, Pharmacusa, Farmaco, and Pharmakousa ....
, and held until someone paid 50 talents
Attic talent
The Attic talent , also known as the Athenian talent or Greek talent, is an ancient unit of mass equal to 26 kg, as well as a unit of value equal to this amount of pure silver. A talent was originally intended to be the mass of water required to fill an amphora . At the 2009 price of $414/kg, a...
to free him.
In Europe during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, ransom became an important custom of chivalric
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
warfare. An important knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, especially nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
or royalty
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
, was worth a significant sum of money if captured, but nothing if he was killed. For this reason, the practice of ransom contributed to the development of heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, which allowed knights to advertise their identities, and by implication their ransom value, and made them less likely to be killed out of hand. Examples include Richard the Lion Heart and Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin , known as the Eagle of Brittany or the Black Dog of Brocéliande, was a Breton knight and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was Constable of France from 1370 to his death...
.
When ransom means "payment", the word comes via Old French rançon from Latin redemptio = "buying back": compare "redemption".
In Judaism ransom is called kofer-nefesh . Among other uses, the word was applied to the poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
of a half shekel
Shekel
Shekel , is any of several ancient units of weight or of currency. The first usage is from Mesopotamia around 3000 BC. Initially, it may have referred to a weight of barley...
to be paid by every male above twenty years at the census.
Although ransom is usually demanded only after the kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of a person, it is not unheard of for thieves to demand ransom for the return of an inanimate object or body part. In 1987, thieves broke into the tomb of Argentinian
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
president Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
and stole his hands
Hands of Perón
The cutting of the Hands of Perón refers to a 1987 incident where the tomb of Juan Perón, former President of Argentina, was broken into and his hands dismembered and removed by persons unknown.-The incident:...
; they later demanded $8 million US for their return. The ransom was not paid.
The practice of towing vehicles
Towing
Towing is the process of pulling or drawing behind a chain, line, bar or some other form of couplings. Towing is most visibly performed by road vehicles, but anything from waterborne vessels to tractors to people can tow cargo. Troop carrying and cargo carrying gliders were towed behind powered...
and charging towing fees for the vehicle's release, is often euphemized
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
or referred to as ransoming, especially by opponents of towing. (In Scotland, booting
Wheel clamp
A wheel clamp, also known as wheel boot or Denver boot, is a device that is designed to prevent vehicles from being moved. In its most common form, it consists of a clamp that surrounds a vehicle wheel, designed to prevent removal of both itself and the wheel.In the United States, these devices...
vehicles on private property is outlawed as extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
.)