Note 22 — Chapter VIII · SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN SPAIN, 1031-1276

Taxes at that time were many and varied in kind, but may be reduced to three types: regular contributions, but depending on the happening of some event; indemnities to escape rendering certain due services; and fines. As examples of the first type may be mentioned the goyosa (rejoicing) payable by a married man at the birth of a child; the movicio (removal) payable whenever one changed his residence; the yantar, or food supplies, for the king and his retinue whenever he visited a town; the servicios (services), or subsidies, granted by the Cortes; the diezmos de mar (tithes of the sea), or customs duties collected at the ports. The most notable tax of the second class was the fonsado (foss), payable by those who wished to escape the obligation of going on a military campaign. One of the third group was the caloña (fine), due from the inhabitants of a region where a crime had been committed and the guilty person had not been found. Gradually it became the practice to commute these taxes for a single payment, except for the fonsado and the yantar, which were not dispensed with.