 It was originally a way of collecting a tribute to pay off the Danes when they attacked England, and was only levied when necessary.Following the Norman Conquest, the geld was used to raise money for the King and to pay for continental wars; by 1130, the geld was being collected annually.Having determined the value of a manor's land and other assets, a tax of so many shillings and pence per pound of value would be levied on the land holder.