Sound Dues, Medieval toll system in Helsingør, Denmark
The Sound Dues was a medieval toll system requiring ships to pay fees when passing through the strait between Denmark and Sweden. Danish authorities at Kronborg Castle inspected vessels and goods, often with the right to purchase cargo at the declared value.
King Eric of Pomerania established the system in 1429 to replace declining revenues from herring fishing with a new income source. It became Denmark's most valuable revenue during the 1500s and 1600s until its abolition in 1857.
The toll system shaped how merchants from across Europe did business with northern ports and changed shipping routes for centuries. You can see this history reflected in Kronborg Castle, where traders registered their goods and officials controlled maritime access.
Visit Kronborg Castle to understand this system through its collections and historical explanations about toll procedures. The castle displays information about how fees were collected and what goods typically passed through the strait.
At its peak, this toll system generated two-thirds of Denmark's entire state income, making the narrow strait one of Europe's most economically crucial chokepoints. Few visitors realize just how much medieval European trade depended on passing through this single narrow passage.
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