» Got Medieval: What is a King's Ransom?
“the prizes offered in the contest […] for a fabulous package that includes:
- A $50,000 King’s Ransom
- An Authentic English Title such as Lord or Lady
[…] our King’s Ransom of $50,000 is worth around 55 16th-century British pounds. By contrast, King John II of France was ransomed just a century and a half earlier for 700,000 14th-century British pounds.
Our old pal Geoffrey Chaucer was ransomed for 16 pounds around the same time as King John went for 700,000, so to be more accurate Showtime should say that they’re giving away Three-and-a-Half Squire’s Ransoms.”
