The Height of Medieval Civilization

Growth of Towns

• Warfare declined in western Europe during the 11th and 12th century

• Manor economy became more productive

• Population increased

• Trade revived and towns increased in size

• Peasants and nobles became aware of a larger world

Where are the Towns?

• During the early Middle Ages trade declined, small Roman towns remained– Vikings kept some trade links open between old

towns– Many old roman roads were used for trade

Revival of trade

• Decline of feudal warfare• Easier to trade using old Roman roads and rivers• Wool was the main trade item. Towns became

the collecting and distributing point for these items

– English/Flemish…. sheep

– Antwerp and Bruges….weavers

– Milan and Florence…. trade cloth

• Italian fleets gain control of the Mediterranean from the Muslims

• During the Crusades trade expanded into the east.

• Travel was expensive

• Barter system was gradually replaced by a money economy.

Trade Fairs and the Hanseatic League

• Annual Trade fairs• (Champagne, France)• Nobles provided

protection, rented booths, and hired money changers

• Fairs became a magnet for goods and ideas

• Trade fairs become elaborate events

• Mixing place of customs, languages, and goods.

• Gradual decline due to competition from the Hanseatic League, but also the rents were too high

Hanseatic League

Group of over 80 towns/cites fronting the Baltic. Dominate shipping lanes of Northern Europe

Provided protection, made coinage, and treaties

Lubeck: located on the southern shores of the Baltic

Growth of Towns

• Growth in trade, encouraged by the Trade Fairs helped Towns grow

• Merchants stayed and opened inns for travellers• Bakers, shoemakers, carpenters and tailors settled

in towns to provide needed goods and services• Rural peasants sold extra produce to townspeople• Towns specialize, Flanders produces wool, other

lace or leather.

Chartering a Town

• Towns located on lands already owned by lords or the church

• Fees paid to lord or church• As towns grew they demanded charters or their

rights guaranteed• Charter gave towns control over their own affairs:

taxes, property,courts, and grant freedom to serfs• Population of towns consisted of serf, peasants

merchants, artisans• Townspeople called bourgeoisie (Fr.) burgesses

(Eng.) burghers (Ger.)

Medieval Guilds

• Merchants and artisans given the right to form associations

• Governed prices, wages, standards, disputes and imports/exports

• Only guild members could practice their trade.

Hamburg

Guild Practices

• Protected members• ‘Just Price’ for goods• Set work week, hours,

pay• Social welfare

programs• Entertainment and

religious feasts

• Training ; apprentice, journeyman and master craftsman.

• Could take 7 to 20 years

• Guilds prevented competition

• Passed down through the family

Town Life

• Many towns with few residents

• Walled, gated• Town centre with

church, town hall, market,

• Guild quarters• Waste, poor sanitation

system

• Fires a problem• Epidemics• What’s good about

towns?• Ideas, could make

money, entertainment