economic revival in the high middle ages obj: to trace the growth of trade & commerce by...
TRANSCRIPT
ECONOMIC REVIVAL IN THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES
OBJ: To trace the growth of trade & commerce by identifying circumstances favorable to economic changes.
TOWNS WERE CENTRAL TO EUROPEAN RECOVERY AFTER THE 10TH CENTURY
CATHEDRALS, MONASTERIES
CRUSADES – PISA, GENOA, VENICE
RELATIVE PEACE & STABILITY
OLD ROMAN ARMY CAMPS
ARTISANS & MERCHANTS DON’T FIT INTO FEUDAL SYSTEM
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:
WALLED, MARKET PLACE, MINT TO COIN MONEY, COURT DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENCE
MOVING AWAY FROM MEDIEVAL STRUCTURE
• PERSONAL FREEDOM• PEOPLE + OPPORTUNITY=
MEDIEVAL TOWNS• TRADE BRINGS MONEY TO
AREA CONTROLLED BY LORD, ABBOT SO IN THEIR BEST INTERST TO ALLOW IT
• NEED PERMISSION TO BUY & SELL FROM LANDOWNER
• LIBERTY = CITIZENSHIP • OUTSIDERS COULD TRADE BUT
HAD TO PAY TAXES• INCREASING LEGAL &
POLITICAL RIGHTS GIVEN TO TOWN
GUILDS – ORGANIZING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
• MERCHANT OLIGARCHY BASICALLY RULED THE TOWN
• MERCHANT GUILDS:• KING HENRY II & CHARTER W/
MERCHANTS OF LINCOLN 1157• AS LONG AS KINGS/LORDS SEE
RELATIONSHIP AS BENEFICIAL WILL CONTINUE TO GRANT RIGHTS
• CRAFT GUILDS: REGULATE PRODUCTION; SET STAND-ARDS, TRAINING & CONDUCT; APPRENTICE, JOURNEYMAN, MASTER; MOST MALE
• ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT• BAKER, BUTCHER, TEXTILES
LIFE IN THE CITY
1 BIG MARKETPLACE
HOUSES WERE ALSO SHOPS
MADE OF WOOD & LATER STONE
NO CITY PLANNER
ALL SOCIO-ECO LEVELS
SUMPTUARY LAWS:
RULES FOR INHABITANTS
MORAL STANDARDS
PROPER DRESS, JEWELRY
SPENDING RESTRICTIONS
STANDARDIZED BUSINESS PRACTICES
PROBLEMS: NOT ENOUGH METAL FOR COINS & USURY
This elegant 14th century tapestry was designed by Nicolas Bataille to illustrate the vision of the Apocalypse by Saint John in the Biblical Book of Revelation.