Title:
Per Vassal Taxes and Stipends
Summary:
Allow a liege to set individual tax rates for each vassal and to give their vassals a set, reoccurring, stipend.
Details:
First off, allow a liege to set the tax levels of his vassals on an individual basis. Currently a lord sets a single "lords share" tax rate and that rate is applied to all of his knights. I believe that it is the same when a duke taxes his lords and when a ruler taxes his dukes. This would allow a liege to tax each vassal more or less as they see fit.
Additionally I would like it if a liege could chose to give stipends to specific vassals. This would be a set amount of gold automatically taken from the lieges income and paid to the vassal at tax time and treated as tax income. A liege could only give stipends to vassals that have a tax rate of 0% to prevent a loop-the loop from occurring in which the duke gives the lord a 50 gold stipend that is then taxed and partially returned to the duke.
The stipend would be set in the same place as taxes are but would be for set amounts instead of a percentage. If I were a duke with 4 lords I could tax the wealthiest at 20%, the second wealthiest at 15% and give each of the poorer lords a stipend of 50 gold.
The gold would be paid after the taxes are worked out from a top to bottom fashion.
1. All taxes are collected and distributed like usual.
2. The king pays any grants he has set to his dukes.
3. The dukes pay any grants they have set to their lords.
4. The lords pay any grants they have set to their knights.
5. All done, taxes are now paid out like usual.
Should a liege lack the resources to pay a grant fully they pay all they can with the losses split proportionally between grants and looses h/p for being unable to pay.
This stipend should be viewed as a part of the oath/agreement between a knight and lord, a lord and duke or between a duke and king. Should the grant be increased by the liege it is a show if satisfaction while a decrease is either a punishment or a sign of inability. It could even be taken as the liege breaking their end of a deal.
Benefits:
This would allow realms to ensure that those who need money get in in a clean and automated fashion. Should a noble be in need of a certain level of cashflow (to support a unit for example), this can be ensured regardless of where their estate is. At the same time it is completely optional and individuals can chose to use or not use the system. This would allow a realm to calculate how much a unit of X strength should cost on average (weekly pay + new recruits + repairs + whatever) and tweak the taxes/stipends to ensure each noble gets at least that much every tax day. There would no longer be a need for proud nobles to go begging for money from the realm money council and remove the need for wealthy nobled to have to hang around banks on tax days so they can pass out gold to those who need it.
The system as presented also prevents a liege from taking any more than they already do - the maximum tax rate is still the same. It just allows for efficient redistribution should a liege decide that their vassal's service deserves or requires more than their current estate/region/duchy could possibly support.
It is also impossibly for a realm to implement a fully top-down system since the maximum tax level does not increase and because it is impossible to tax someone and to give them a stipend. To one can not chose to take all of their vassals' gold by setting the tax rate to 100% then hand out set amounts.
Possible Downsides or Exploits:
A realm that takes full advantage of the system would be more efficient than a realm that chose not to. Some might feel that the lure of efficiency might tempt people to implement a tax system that contradicts the values held by the country. Some might suggest that this would reduce interactions between characters but I feel that it would simply focus the interactions where they should be when it comes to money matters: between a vassal and his liege. I personally feel that giving stipends can be roleplayed into most any form of governmental system though.
First Knight: I would like to give you my oath!
Lord: I am a generous lord, I will give you an estate equal in size to my own! 40% of my region now belongs to you. I only ask that you serve me well and pay your taxes (10%).
Second Knight: I would like to give you my oath of service.
Lord: I am a generous Lord. You will receive the 20% of my region yet unclaimed as an estate and all it's revenue and a stipend of 50g per week in exchange for your loyal service!
Later:
Lord: My duke, I have taken on a new knight but I must pay him 50g a week out of my own pocket to cover the expenses he will have to maintain a proper unit.
Duke: Wonderful! I will see to it that your tax is reduced and, if necessary, a stipend awarded to compensate you for your loss. We need every man we can get!
