Medieval GuildsBy Adrian Garcia P2

What are guilds?

A guild is known as a brotherhood. The word “guild” is from the Saxon “gilden” meaning "to pay." The guilds of the Middle Ages were licensed from 1170 and were similar to modern labor unions where the guilds set standards for their professions and protected the interests of their members.

The Purpose of Guilds in the Medieval times of the Middle Ages

The Purpose of Guilds was based on the protection of the Guild members but consumers also benefited from them as well. The purpose of the guilds were:

1.Protection for members of the Guilds

2.Protection for consumers

Medieval Guilds

Guilds were an important part and town life. Guilds were...

1.military organizations

2.gave privileges to their members

3.seperate from the government

Being in a guild brought you a higher social status. This aspect brought you advantages. Guild members were supported by their guilds if they became sick.

Two kinds of guilds: merchant guilds

Merchant guilds were first to appear and composed civic organization. Merchants formed organizations for mutual protection of their horses, wagons, and goods. A merchant could build a business by getting a charter.

Two kinds of Guilds: Craft Guilds

The craft guilds came about by increased specialization of industry.

1.A group of artisans followed the same occupation, e.g., bakers, cobblers, stone masons, carpenters, etc. would associate themselves together for protection and mutual aid.

2.As these craft associations became more important than the older merchant guilds, their leaders began to demand a share in civic leadership.

3.Soon no one within a town could practice a craft without belonging to the appropriate guild associations.

Services Performed by Guilds

Guilds performed other services for their members as well.

1.provided funeral expenses for poorer members and aid to survivors

2.provided husbands for poor girls

3.covered members with a type of health insurance and provisions for care of the sick

4.donated windows to local churches or cathedrals

5.helped in the actual construction of the churches

6.watched over the morals of the members who indulged in gambling and usury

The Reasons why Medieval Guilds were established

The system of Feudalism during the Medieval times allowed the lords and owners of the land to tax the townspeople and their trades. As trade increased during the Medieval times the taxes became excessive. In Medieval England which was run to the feudal system it was impossible for just one man to make objections to the rate and amount of tax that the lord demanded. Thus the idea of forming a Guild was born.

Souceshttp://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-england/medieval-guilds.htm

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gbetcher/373/guilds.htm

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