In Greek mythology, what did Minos demand from Athens for the Minotaur?

In Greek mythology, Minos demanded a tribute of youths from Athens for the Minotaur.

The tribute consisted of Athenian young people who were sent to Crete and entered the Labyrinth. The myth explains the demand as punishment imposed by Minos after conflict between Crete and Athens, especially following the death of Minos’s son Androgeus in Athens.

Different ancient and later sources vary in the precise number and timing of the victims. A common version describes seven young men and seven young women being sent periodically, while other accounts handle the tribute differently. These variations are why the safest general description is a tribute of youths rather than a single universally fixed schedule.

Theseus ended the tribute cycle in the best-known version by volunteering to join the expedition and killing the Minotaur. His victory made the episode a foundational story about Athens’s rise and independence.