Medieval Europe: Trade, Society, and Politics
Definitions
Hansa
The Hansa was a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. Growing from a few North German towns in the late 12th century, the league came to dominate Baltic maritime trade for three centuries along the coasts of Northern Europe. Hansa territories stretched from the Baltic to the North Sea and inland during the Late Middle Ages and diminished slowly after 1450. Key cities included Lübeck and Hamburg.
Bills of Exchange
Bills of exchange played a crucial role in facilitating trade. A dealer could make a payment to a trader, and the money would be deposited in a bank, eliminating the need to carry physical currency and preventing theft.
Aljama or Jewry
Aljama or Jewry refers to the Jewish communities that lived in separate quarters within cities.
Morería
Morería refers to the Islamic population residing in the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as their neighborhoods.
Guilds
Guilds were associations of artisans or merchants who oversaw the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. Everyone working in a specific trade was part of a guild. Members had to swear an oath that specified the standards of the profession, as well as the rights and obligations of its members. Guilds established the quantities that each workshop could produce and the prices of goods.
Parliament or Cortes
Parliament or Cortes were assemblies convened by the king. Representatives of the nobility, the church, and the cities attended these meetings. Each estate had one vote, and the assemblies were often used to secure privileges for the estates.
Rose Window
A rose window is a circular window decorated with stained glass, typically found on the facades of Gothic cathedrals.
Stained Glass
Stained glass refers to compositions made with colored glass that adorn the windows of Gothic churches.
Long Questions
Improvement of Agriculture
From the 12th century onward, agricultural production increased across most of the European continent. This was due to several factors:
- Increase in acreage: Forests were cleared, swamps were drained, and new lands were cultivated.
- New farming techniques: The moldboard plow was introduced, allowing for deeper tilling of the land. In the Mediterranean area, irrigation was expanded, and new crops were introduced.
Urban Growth
The growth of cities during this period was driven by several factors:
- New farming techniques required fewer farmers, leading many to migrate to cities in search of work.
- Trade revived, and many merchants settled in cities, where markets were held.
The Composition of Crafts
Each trade was divided into three categories of craftsmen:
- Master: Owned the workshop, tools, and raw materials. The master received the profits and bore the losses of the business.
- Journeyman: A skilled worker in the workshop who received a salary for their work.
- Apprentice: A young man who wanted to learn the trade and worked for several years in the workshop without a salary.
The Creation of Parliaments
At the end of the 12th and during the 13th century, European kings began to convene Cortes or Parliaments. These were very different from modern parliaments. In medieval parliaments, only the king, the nobles, the clergy, and the rulers of the cities were represented.
Clashes Between the European Kingdoms
Sometimes, kings fought against other kings. Many conflicts stemmed from succession disputes that arose when two or more kings fought to obtain the throne of a kingdom whose ruler had died without leaving a successor. One notable example is the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), sparked by the English king’s claim to the French throne. This conflict lasted for over a century and ended in victory for the French king, Charles VII. A key figure in this war was the French peasant Joan of Arc. Other struggles were caused by the desire to establish clear borders.