Medieval Times: Guilds To Trades

thank you throughout history trade has helped raise man's standard of living and stimulated his interest in the world in ancient Greece trade was an essential part of the economy the marketplaces of ancient Rome were also thriving institutions but Commerce in Western Europe dwindled rapidly as Imperial Rome fell to Barbarian Invaders Europe was thrown into chaos and Merchants from Africa and Asia turned away from the West to the east by 1000 A.D Africa Asia and the Middle East were tied together by a number of trade routes by contrast Western Europe then entering the medieval period was little touched by these trade routes the 10th and 11th centuries in Europe were part of the age of feudalism when noblemen ruled their own thiefs or Estates the thief was comparatively independent of the world outside its people producing much of their own food and clothing the few Merchants traveling by rivers or roads to isolated Town markets might be stopped at toll stations where they would pay as much as three-quarters of a cargo's value as tribute Ocean trade was equally hazardous still some Hardy sea captains ferrying pilgrims to ports in the Holy Land returned with exotic cargos when much of the Middle East fell under Muslim control trade with Western Europe declined beginning in 1096 European armies were recruited to recapture the holy land and return it to Christian control these Crusades took many Europeans across the seas and gave them their first good look at the world Beyond Western Europe never before had they seen such Splendor as that displayed in Byzantine cities or the wealth traded at the Muslim bazaars of Aleppo Alexandria and Damascus Italian Sailors were especially quick to seize on trade opportunities and after ferrying Crusaders to the wars they returned home with ships crammed with valuable cargos from the East precious Wares were also brought out of the Orient by Italian Merchant explorers such as the famous Polo family they were among the first Europeans to trade with China and helped Revitalize trade during the middle medieval period quantities of Eastern Commodities were imported into Europe by the 1200s imported silk and cotton Fabrics added Splinter to court costume incense contributed to the impressiveness of religious ceremonies and spices were widely used in cooking and perfume and Medicine making these imported Commodities stimulated trade in lace and Woolen cloth from Flanders and other goods made by European Craftsmen gradually trade restrictions were relaxed and European goods were carried to Market centers which later became the sites of trade fairs interest in trade spread through Western Europe commercial centers were established in London and Sturbridge in England Paris Lyon and Rance in France and Bruges in Flanders cologne Frankfurt Leipzig and Lubeck in Germany Geneva in Switzerland at Novgorod in Russia especially important as Trade Centers were two Italian port cities Genoa and Venice Each of which had a great Merchant Fleet Venice Queen City of the Adriatic Sea had one of the most well-developed of European ports for here all kinds of vessels could anchor in the Heart of the City the Grand Canal today reminds us of the glories of medieval Venice when the fortunes of this city were ruled by Merchant powers this Palace was the home of the vendrame family Merchant princes of vast wealth and political influence one branch of the noble kontarini family lived in this Palace and this is the foscari palace the power of these families was greater than that of Many Kings for the merchants of Venice during the 12 and 1300s made great Fortunes in Mediterranean trade in northern Europe in Germany a leading Waterway of flourishing trade was the Rhine River on this River as well as on the sen and the MERS German and French Merchants shipped their goods on such waterways much of the wealth of Germany and France was carried to the most important medieval Trade Center in northern Europe the Flemish city of Bruges Bruges often called the Venice of the North because of its numerous canals and importance to the development of European trade the many storied warehouses of medieval Bruges were filled with Goods being exchanged between Italy France Germany and England and even between Scandinavia and Spain Bruges in 1252 was the scene of a significant meeting among German Merchants from the cities of Lubeck and Hamburg who met to consider forming a trade Association since they did not come from as powerful a city as Venice these Germans wanted to organize a body that would represent Merchant interests to the governments of the countries in which they traded their purpose in forming a union or Guild was to increase Merchant profits a unified Guild could petition Kings and Nobles to Grant lenient taxes for businessmen and establish courts to settle disputes justly and quickly the idea of a guild or in German ahanse was deliberated and from such meetings emerge the powerful Hanseatic League whose members almost monopolized northern European trade for 200 years until about 1450. member merchants of the hansiatic league lived in goslar and other cities of Germany Hanseatic lead members lived as far away as London and Stockholm where they protected the interests of their Guild the success of the Hanseatic League and its Allied cities in setting up profitable trade routes led to the establishment of rival hanses or Merchant leagues merchants in spire and other cities along the Rhine banded together to control this vital Waterway Regensburg and Vienna controlled trade to the Balkans and Asia Minor by way of the Eastern Danube River the route between the upper Danube and the Alps passed through um and other cities handling the lucrative trade between Germany and Italy from who all and Paris French Merchants controlled the Waters of the sen the barges and ships that moved on such waters are represented by models displayed in many European museums fleets grew as a rise in shipping was accompanied by a rise in production a variety of Hardware was wrought and cast by the iron workers of Flanders Germany and Spain glassware was produced in Italy and France from England came pewter services and boxes trade in luxury items increased greatly as noblemen competed for material possessions there was trade two in staple items fine woolens from Italy and Flanders and leather goods from France and England these products were made in the shops of medieval craftsmen who worked to fill the orders of merchants in the 13th and 14th centuries Craftsmen like Merchants banded together into craft guilds a craft Guild usually consisted of all Craftsmen in a community making the same product craft guilds which set high standards of quality became an important part of the medieval economy today the heritage of the gills is preserved in buildings where members held their meetings and festivals in the old Flemish city of Ghent for example we find the Hall of the leather Tanner's Guild the whole of the Masons and Builders Guild and the Hall of the Grocer's Guild hundreds of years separate Medieval Times from modern Europe but many of the major production and Trade Centers in Europe today grew to importance during the Middle Ages in the German city of Frankfurt one of the chief commercial centers of Western Europe International Trade fairs have taken place since 1330. these fairs at Frankfurt like hundreds of others are the direct descendants of the medieval affairs the goods sold at those fairs however were considerably different from those being made today with the help of machines but the men who operate these machines are historically linked to the men of the medieval craft guilds products of The Craft guilds were sold abroad by members of the powerful Merchant guilds some of the heritage of these Merchant guilds has been passed on to present-day representatives to the European common market who plan agreements and methods to stimulate trade in Europe by seeking out new markets and developing old ones these men hope that through trade Europe can prosper and live in peace theirs is a far more ambitious effort than that of the medieval Merchant skills to bind Europe into an International Community through trade but even as the common market delegates continue their work in their new offices in the centuries-old Belgian city of Brussels they are not far from the center of that City where medieval Guild Halls are historic reminders of the rise of trade during Medieval Times [Music]