Banking is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the Market. This technology removes the tribute fee, allowing players to tribute resources freely without penalty. To research this technology you must first research Coinage.
Researching Banking is highly recommended when giving other players resources.
History
The loaning of money for interest, or usury, was long prohibited by the church in the West and this proved a handicap for economic growth. The religious laws were avoided by a number of ploys, and non-Christians were often allowed into a community to provide this service. Preaching a pogrom against money-lending Jews or other non-Christians was a convenient way for more than one king to clear off a large debt. The religious and political climate changed gradually, especially in the great trading cities of Italy where the first of many great merchant banking firms came into existence.
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