Contia

Alias: 
conthia
  1. Contia, allowance.
  2. Levy (as when King Fernando collected from non-fighting subjects the sum necessary to fully arm those that were registered in the list of fighters, the contiados). [Fernando, ch.87: 29]
  3. Fief. [Fernando, ch.87: 42]
  4. Life service allowance or income given by the king to noblemen and their eldest sons from birth, in exchange for their permanent availability with a certain number of men, arms and horses.
  5. At times referred to as "maravidiis": "In those days it was customary for the allowance (contia) nowadays known as ‘maravedis’ to be payable to the noble’s son from the moment he was born, in the cradle, and to no other". [Pedro, Ch.1: 21-22]
  6. See also Henrique da Gama Barros, História da Administração Pública em Portugal (Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional, 1885), vol. 1, book 2, title 1, ch. 1, pp. 195-196, quoting Fernão Lopes' Crónica de D. João I, part 2.
  7. Values: A contia given to a vassal before King Pedro of Portugal was worth about 75 pounds (Portuguese libras). King Pedro increased it to 100 pounds = 15 crossed or Mooris dobras[Pedro, ch. 11: 20-23]
  8. Service expected: for King Pedro's contia, a vassal was expected to maintain a horse, a louriga and an almofre. [Pedro, ch. 11:23-24]
  9. Contia do aver: dowry (in the context of a royal marriage). [ Pedro, ch. 37: 11]

 

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