Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill mean?

The phrase "whose ransoms did the general coffers fill" refers to the practice of collecting ransoms from captured individuals, typically in a warfare or conflict context, to finance the general treasury or military efforts. This indicates that the wealth accumulated from these ransoms contributed to the overall financial resources available to a governing body or military command. The phrase highlights the often brutal realities of conflict, where the lives of individuals are commodified for the sake of funding larger systems.