Setting Taxes
Taxes are one of the core aspect of the Stronghold games. It is a source of gold and sometimes, popularity.
Taxes are a primary source of money that is taken from civilians for running and maintaining your castle. Their rate increases by population, but it can also be determined by the player, which can vary from no taxes to cruel taxes and generous bribes. Higher taxes result in being unpopular and thus it generates negative popularity. Taxes are usually counteracted by other positive popularity: ale, religion and food rations.
Civilians can also be paid money for as bribery too, taking away gold from the treasury but increasing popularity. Bribes can come in handy when (typically) there is food shortage.
Left clicking on your Keep will bring up the tax panel, which lets you view your tax details and change your tax rate.
You can set your taxes to anything from a 'generous bribe' all the way up to a 'crueller than cruel' tax by moving the slide bar left or right. Increasing your tax rate above the default setting of 'no taxes' will have a negative effect on your popularity and reducing taxes to hand out bribe money will have a positive effect.
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