6.1 The revival of trade and cities

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Introduction Chapter 6 Late Middle Ages

We are going to start with a game: which topics belong to the early Middle ages (red), which belong to the late Middle ages (blue) and which belong to another era.....

The crusades, Charlemagne, the Franks, the fall of the roman empire, the black death, Columbus, Jeroen Bosch, the manor system, the feudal system, an agricultural society, a agrarian-urban society, monks and knights, craftsmen like shoemakers, the emergence of den bosch, the pope gains more power

Ch 6.1: The revival of trade and cities

After studying this section, you will be able to:

6.1 Explain the causes of urbanisation in the Late Middle Ages

6.2 Describe how merchants and craftsmen worked together in guilds

What caused the agricultural 

revolution? 

Heavy iron plow

The invention of the padded horse collar

Urbanisation

Farms started to produce more food than they needed: the surplus food was sold or exchanged at markets. Many towns grew up around marketplaces. Because of growth in trade, small towns were transformed into cities and existing cities became even larger.

Farming improvements meant that more work could be done by fewer people. People from the countryside moved to towns and cities. When people from the countryside move into cities, this is called urbanisation. The complete process is shown in source 4.1.4. Between 1000 and 1200, Western Europe gradually developed from a mostly agrarian society into an agrarian society with an urban character. The food surplus caused people in the countryside to live healthier and longer. The population could grow.

urbanisation

By 1200, large Northern European towns such as London and Ghent had more than 30,000 or 40,000 residents. At the same time, cities such as Venice had twice that number of residents.

The Italian city of Genoa. 15th century drawing.

In Latin, the word for ‘city’ was urbs. This is where the word ‘urbanisation’ comes from. The word ‘city’ originated from Latin as well. In Latin civitatem or civitas was used for ‘community of citizens’.

Specialisation: Crafts and guilds

In towns, people started to trade products or specialised in a craft: they became blacksmiths, shoemakers, bakers or carpenters. Before, the local carpenter had his own land and cattle. Now, he would specialise in a craft. Craftsmen usually joined people that practised other crafts at places where they could find most work.

From the twelfth century onwards, traders and craftsmen in Northern European cities often joined together in guilds. Guilds had already existed earlier in cities in Southern Europe.

Guilds controlled who could become members and practice a craft in a town. They organised the training of new craftsmen and regulated working hours, prices and the quality of products. Members of a guild also helped each other if someone died or became ill.

A craftsman. What does he do? This image was made in 1524.

Bruges: a case study

By the fourteenth century, Bruges had become the most important city in North-western Europe. From the ninth century, traders had settled there to supply the people in and around the city. Bruges was part of the County of Flanders. The local counts invested a lot of money in the city’s defenses. They made sure Bruges was safe from Viking attacks (read source 4.1.7).

Because of this, even more craftsmen and traders were attracted to the city. The city became increasingly important to the local counts. They used it to defend against counts from Holland who wanted to expand their territory. Many craftsmen in Bruges specialised in the production of cloths. They produced so much cloths that wool had to be bought from England.

4.1.7

From a chronicle about the abbey in Bruges, written by J. Lelong in the 13th century.

4.1.9

Cloth is dyed to give it some colour. Image from a Flemish manuscript, made in 1482.

4.1.8

Medieval buildings, like this hospital, can still be seen in Bruges today.

The importance of cities

Due to the growth of trade, cities became richer. This meant that the landlords were able to collect more taxes from the cities. The landlord collected these taxes for his king. They were used for special events, upholding laws and to pay for the defence of the country. 

Of course, cities did not like paying high taxes. They discussed this with their landlords or bishops. In return for their financial support, they wanted a number of privileges. These were special rights, such as the permission to organise markets, store goods, build or expand city walls or receive exemption from military service. It was even better if they received a city charter. This was a special contract with city rights. City rights gave cities some degree of self-government. They were allowed to uphold and create their own laws.

4.1......

By the Town charter of (December 29) 1284 Flensburg received the Town privilege.

4.1.9

Cloth is dyed to give it some colour. Image from a Flemish manuscript, made in 1482.

4.1.8

Medieval buildings, like this hospital, can still be seen in Bruges today.

The importance of cities

In exchange for city rights, cities had to promise to support their landlords both financially and militarily. Cities were often able to pay their own armies. For both kings and their vassals, cities became a new power block. If kings and landlords were in a conflict, both parties desired the support of the cities. Cities were able to choose the side that offered them most privileges. Because of this, some cities became very powerful. Sometimes they got even more powerful than their landlords.

4.1.7

From a chronicle about the abbey in Bruges, written by J. Lelong in the 13th century.

4.1.9

Cloth is dyed to give it some colour. Image from a Flemish manuscript, made in 1482.

4.1.8

Medieval buildings, like this hospital, can still be seen in Bruges today.

City People

Living in a city was very different from living on the countryside. People who lived in cities were free. They were called burghers. Many serfs tried to escape from their manors to live in the cities. If serfs stayed in a city for more than a year, they could become burghers as well.

In the cities, there were huge differences between rich and poor people. The burghers can be divided in three groups. Merchants and masters of a guild were among the richest people. They were often part of the city council and controlled the cities. Important positions were kept in the family. Next there was the middle class, made up out of craftsmen and shopkeepers. Finally there were the common workers and beggars.

4.1.7

From a chronicle about the abbey in Bruges, written by J. Lelong in the 13th century.

4.1.9

Cloth is dyed to give it some colour. Image from a Flemish manuscript, made in 1482.

4.1.8

Medieval buildings, like this hospital, can still be seen in Bruges today.

The Hanseatic League

To improve trade over long distances, cities and merchants started to work together. In the thirteenth century, a number of German and Baltic cities joined together to cooperate in the Hanseatic League. Other cities in the Low Countries and England soon followed. The league became a powerful network of trading cities. Many Dutch cities joined the Hanseatic League. Examples include: Groningen, Nijmegen, Venlo, Arnhem, Kampen, Zwolle and Harderwijk. Most of them had easy access to the Zuiderzee. During the fourteenth and fifteenth century, Bruges grew to become the most important trading city in North-west Europe. The league placed one of its headquarters in the city. It became the meeting place for merchants from all over Europe.

4.1.10

Main trading routes of the Hanseatic League.

4.1.11

A merchant ship is about to leave the city of Riga on its way to Bruges.

20th century illustration.

Craftsmen and guilds

• In the cities, people started to trade all kinds of products. 
• Other people started to learn a craft. They specialised in different areas. For instance, blacksmithing, leatherworking, shoemaking, baker, carpenter.
• To make things easier for new craftsmen, they often gathered in guilds. Guilds were associations of people who had the same job. 

Get to work...

• Read par  6.1
• Exercises 6,1: 1 up until 11 and 13
• Make a summary
• work on your magazine

Listening exercise: the return of the city (memo 5.1)