A Medieval town in Italy: Recap!!

A. High Walls D. Parish ChurchB. Gates E. Market SquareC. High Street F. Fair Green

The People of the town:

1. Corporations and citizens

2. Guilds and craftspeople

Corporations: How it all began

• Trade increased in the towns and people became wealthy.

• They didn’t want to pay high taxes to the local Lord and king anymore.

• An agreement (A charter)was made btw. the King and the people:they paid one annual tax to the King and he let them run their own towns / boroughs.

• A corporation was elected to run the town.

Citizens: People of the city (who could vote!)

• Most people were “unfree” citizens.

• Those citizens who could vote were usually the wealthy class and members of a guild.

• Only a member of the guild could be voted on to the corporation.

Most people were unfree and could be sold as slaves!!

Duties of the corporation:What type of jobs does our local council do?

• Keep the town walls maintained and organise the sentries (wall guards)

• Try to control waste in the town.• Responsible for the curfew.• Regulated the weekly markets and collected tolls.

Craftspeople and Guilds:• A Guild is an organisation that every

craftsperson belonged to.

• Every guild regulated its trade.

Exams : to make sure everycraftsman was good enough.

high standard: goods had to begood enough

Fixed wages and prices.

Looked after members & paid for funerals.

Women could only be members if their husbands

died & they wanted to continue the trade.

Training to be a craftsman:1) The Apprentice: (no pay )• Boys aged 12• Lived with a master craftsman to learn for 7 years2) The Journeyman: (some pay )• Left old master and could travel around.• Skilled craftsmen

travelled all of Europe.

3) A Master: (great pay )• Every craftsman wanted to be a

master.• Had own workshop and sold own

goods.

• To become a master thecraftsman must:

Produce a masterpiece Pay a large sum to the guild( most journeymencouldn’t afford this) Inherit the position.

Can you match the craftsman and the craft?craftsman

Chandlers CoopersFishmongersBakers MasonsCobblerMiller TannersButcherTailorWeaverCarpentersBlacksmiths

craft

Metal work Made clothesMade cloth

Prepared meatMade flour Wood

buildersMade shoes

Made bread Made leatherMade barrels

Made candlesPrepared fish

Stone builders

Cobbler ShoesWeavers ClothTailors ClothesCarpenters Wood buildersBlacksmiths Metal workersCoopers Made barrelsBakers Made breadButchers Prepared meatMillers Made flourFishmongers Prepared fishMasons Stone buildersTanners Made leatherChandlers Made candles