Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-76dd75c94c-ccc76 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T08:21:01.495Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

7 - Commerce and Trade

from PART II - ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

Christopher Allmand
Affiliation:
University of Liverpool
Get access

Summary

the fifteenth century is generally seen as one of economic contraction until the late 1460s and then of expansion, although within it many short-term fluctuations took place. The commercial structure was flexible under these pressures: the trade network, tightly integrated, allowed specialisation; and the sophisticated level of organisation allowed adaptation to the increased need for cost-effectiveness in the early period, and to increased opportunities at the end of the century.

routes and commodities

Trade took place at local, regional and international levels. Major international sea routes ran through the Baltic to the North Sea, with an offshoot to Iceland. The Hansard Kontors at Novgorod, Bergen, Bruges and London epitomise this great trading area, although the Hansards were not the only ones to sail it. Important routes ran along the Channel and Atlantic coasts, linking Bruges to Iberia. The north was also directly linked to the Mediterranean by regular fleets of Italian, Catalan and Basque vessels, and, later, by ships from England and the Low Countries. Equally important routes ran the length of the Mediterranean and into the Black Sea.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Asaert, G. (1973), De Antwerpse Scheepvaart in de XVe eeuw (1394– 1480), Brussels
Asaert, G. (1979), ‘Antwerp ships in English harbours in the fifteenth century’, Acta historiae Neerlandicae 12 Google Scholar
Ashtor, E. (1983), Levant trade in the later Middle Ages, Princeton
Balard, M. (1978), La Romanie gênoise (XIIe– début XVe siècle), Rome and Genoa
Bang, N.E. (19061932), Tabeller over Skibsfart og Varentransport gennem Øresund 1497– 1660, 2 vols., Leipzig
Baratier, E. and Reynaud, F. (1951), Histoire du commerce de Marseille de 1291– 1480, Paris
Bautier, R.-H. (1960, 1964), ‘Notes sur le commerce du fer en Europe occidentale du XIIe au XVIe siècle’, Revue d’histoire de la sidérurgie 1; 4 Google Scholar
Bautier, R.-H. (1971), The economic development of medieval Europe, London
Bernard, J. (1968), Navires et gens de mer à Bordeaux, 3 vols., Paris
Bolton, J.L. (1980), The medieval English economy, London
Bridbury, A.R. (1955), England and the salt trade in the later Middle Ages, Oxford
Bridbury, A.R. (1962), Economic growth. England in the later Middle Ages, London
Bridbury, A.R. (1982), Medieval English clothmaking. An economic survey, London
Brulez, W. (1973), ‘Bruges and Antwerp in the 15th and 16th centuries: an antithesis?’, Acta historiae Neerlandicae 6 Google Scholar
Carrère, C. (1953), ‘Le droit d’ancrage et le mouvement du port de Barcelone au milieu du XVe siècle’, Estudios de historia moderna 3 Google Scholar
Carrère, C. (1967), Barcelone. Centre économique à l’époque des difficultés, 1380– 1462, 2 vols., Paris
Carter, F.C. (1994), Trade and development in Poland. An economic geography of Cracow, from its origins to 1795, Cambridge
Carus-Wilson, E.M. and Coleman, O. (1967), England’s export trade 1275– 1547, Oxford
Carus-Wilson, E.M. (ed.), The overseas trade of Bristol in the later Middle Ages, Bristol Record Society, 7, Bristol (1937)
Casado Alonso, H. (1994), ‘El comercio internacional burgalés en los siglos XV y XVI’, Actas del Simposio internacional ‘El Consulado de Burgos’, Burgos Google Scholar
Caster, G. (1962), Le commerce du pastel et de l’épicerie à Toulouse, Toulouse
Childs, W.R. (1978), Anglo-Castilian trade in the later Middle Ages, Manchester
Childs, W.R. (1981), ‘England’s iron trade in the fifteenth century’, Economic History Review 2nd series 34 Google Scholar
Childs, W.R. (1992), ‘Anglo-Portuguese trade in the fifteenth century’, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 6th series 2 Google Scholar
Childs, W.R. (ed.), The customs accounts of Hull 1453– 1490, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 144, Leeds (1986)
Christenson, E. (1957), ‘Scandinavia and the advance of the Hanseatics’, Scandinavian Economic Review 5 Google Scholar
Cipolla, C., , Lopez R.S. and, Miskimin, H.A. (19631964), ‘The economic depression of the Renaissance?’, Economic History Review 2nd series 16 Google Scholar
Cobb, H. (ed.), The overseas trade of London. Exchequer customs accounts 1480– 1, London Record Society, 27, London (1990)
Craeybeckx, J. (1958), Un grand commerce d’importation. Les vins de France aux anciens Pays Bas XIIIe– XVIe siècles, Paris
Davis, R. (1976), ‘The rise of Antwerp and its English connection 1406– 1510’, in Coleman, D.C., and John, A.H., (eds.), Trade, government and economy in pre-industrial England, London Google Scholar
Day, J. (1987), The medieval market economy, Oxford
De Gryse, R. (1951), ‘De Vlaamse Haringvisserij in de XVe eeuw’, Annales de la Société d’émulation de Bruges 88 Google Scholar
De Roover, R. (1959), ‘La balance commerciale entre les Pays Bas et l’Italie au XVe siècle’, Revue belge de philologie et d’histoire 37 Google Scholar
De Roover, R. (1948), Money, banking and credit in mediaeval Bruges. Italian merchant-bankers, Lombards and moneychangers, Cambridge, Mass.
De Roover, R. (1968), The Bruges money market around 1400, Brussels
De Roover, R. (1963), The rise and decline of the Medici Bank 1397– 1494, Cambridge, Mass.
Delort, R. (1978), Le commerce des fourrures en occident à la fin du moyen âge (vers 1300– vers 1450), Rome
Diplomatarium Islandicum, ed. Sigurthsson, J., et al., Copenhagen (1857ff)
Diplomatarium Norvegicum, ed. Lange, C.C.A., Unger, C.R. et al., 19 vols. Oslo (18471919)
Doehaerd, R. (ed.), Etudes anversoises. Documents sur le commerce international à Anvers 1488– 1514, 3 vols., Paris (1962)
Doehaerd, R. and Kerremans, C. (eds.), Les relations commerciales entre Gênes, la Belgique, et l’Outremont d’après les archives notariales gênoises 1400– 1440, Brussels (1952)
Dollinger, P. (1989), Die Hanse, 4th edn, Stuttgart; 1st edn trans. Ault, D., and Steinberg, S.H., The German Hansa, London (1970)
Ducaunnes-Duval, M.G. (ed.), ‘Registre de la comptabilité de Bordeaux 1482– 3’, Archives historiques du département de la Gironde 50 (1915)Google Scholar
EdlerRoover, F. (1966), ‘Andrea Banchi, Florentine silk manufacturer and merchant in the fifteenth century’, Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History 3 Google Scholar
Epstein, S. (1992), An island for itself. Economic development and social change in late medieval Sicily, Cambridge
Fern´ndez-Armesto, F. (1987), Before Columbus. Exploration and colonisation from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic 1229– 1492, London
Fernández-Armesto, F. (1992), Columbus, Oxford
Ferreira Priegue, E. (1988), Galicia en el comercio marítimo medieval, Santiago de Compostella
Fudge, J. (1995), Cargoes, embargoes and emissaries. The commercial and political interaction of England and the German Hanse 1450– 1510, Toronto
Gade, J. A. (1951), The Hanseatic control of Norwegian commerce during the late Middle Ages, Leiden
GarciaCortazar, J.A. (1966), Vizcaya en el siglo XV, Bilbao
Gelsinger, B.E. (1981), Icelandic enterprise. Commerce and economy in the Middle Ages, Columbia, S.C.
GilliodtsSeveren, L. (ed.), Cartulaire de l’ancien consulat d’Espagne à Bruges. Recueil de documents concernant le commerce maritime et l’intérieur, le droit des gens public et privé et l’histoire économique de la Flandre. Première partie. 1280– 1550, Bruges (19011902)
GilliodtsSeveren, L. (ed.), Cartulaire de l’ancienne estaple de Bruges. Recueil de documents concernant le commerce intérieur et maritime, les relations internationales et l’histoire économique de cette ville, 2 vols., Bruges (19031906)
Gras, N.S.B. (ed.), The early English customs system, Cambridge, Mass. (1918)
Guiral-Hadziiossif, (1986), Valence. Port mediterranéen au XVe siècle, Paris
Hale, J. (1977), Florence and the Medici, London
Hanham, A. (1985) The Celys and their world, Cambridge
Hanham, A. (ed.), The Cely letters 1472– 1488, Early English Text Society, original series, 273, Oxford (1975)
Hanserecesse (Die Recesse und andere Akten der Hansetäge), 1256– 1430, ed. Koppmann, K., 8 vols., Leipzig (18701897)
Hanserecesse 1431– 76, ed. Ropp, G., 7 vols., Leipzig (18761892)
Hanserecesse 1476– 1530, ed. Schäfer, D. and Techen, F., 9 vols., Leipzig and Munich (18811913)
Hansisches Urkundenbuch, ed. Hölbaum, K., Kunze, K., and Stein, W., Verein für Hansische Geschichte, 11 vols., Halle and Leipzig (18761907)
Hatcher, J. (1973), English tin production and trade before 1550, Oxford
Heers, J. (1955), ‘Le commerce des basques en Mediterranée au XVe siècle’, Bulletin his panique 57 Google Scholar
Heers, J. (1957), ‘Le royaume de Grenade et la politique marchande de Gênes en occident au XVe siècle’, Le moyen âge 63 Google Scholar
Heers, J. (1961), Gênes au XV siècle, Paris
Heers, J. (1966), L’occident aux XIVe et XVe siècles. Aspects économiques et sociaux, Paris
Heers, J. (1979), Société et économie à Gênes (XIV– XV siècles), London
Heers, M.L. (1954), ‘Les gênois et le commerce de l’alun à la fin du moyen âge’, Revue d’histoire économique et sociale 32 Google Scholar
Herlihy, D. (1958), Pisa in the early Renaissance, New Haven
Hutchinson, G. (1994), Medieval ships and shipping, London
Iradiel Murugarren, P. (1974), Evolución de la industria textil castellana en los siglos XII– XVI, Salamanca
James, M.K. (1971), Studies in the medieval wine trade, Oxford
Jenks, S. (1992), England, Die Hanse und Preussen. Handel und Diplomatie 1377– 1474, 3 vols., Cologne and Vienna
Kerling, N.J.M. (1954), Commercial relations of Holland and Zeeland with England from the late thirteenth century to the close of the Middle Ages, Leiden
Lane, F.C. (1944), Andrea Barbarigo, merchant of Venice, 1418– 1449, Baltimore
Lane, F.C. (1966), Venice and history. The collected papers of F.C Lane, Baltimore
Lane, F.C. (1973), Venice. A maritime republic, Baltimore
Lane, F.C. and Müller, R.C. (1985), Money and banking in medieval and Renaissance Venice, Baltimore
Livermore, H. V. (1954), ‘The “privileges of an Englishman in the kingdoms and dominions of Portugal”’, Atlante 2 Google Scholar
Lloyd, T.H. (1977), The English wool trade in the Middle Ages, Cambridge
Lloyd, T.H. (1991), England and the German Hanse 1157– 1611. A study of their trade and commercial diplomacy, Cambridge
Lopez, R.S. (1956), ‘The evolution of land transport in the Middle Ages’, Past & Present 9 Google Scholar
Lopez, R.S. (1964), ‘Market expansion: the case of Genoa’, Journal of Economic History 24 Google Scholar
Lopez, R.S. and Miskimin, H.A. (19611962), ‘The economic depression of the Renaissance?’, Economic History Review 2nd series 14 Google Scholar
Lopez, R.S., Miskimin, H.A. and, Udovitch, A. (1970), ‘England to Egypt, 1350– 1500: long-term trends and long-distance trade’, in Cook, M.A., (ed.), Studies in the economic history of the Middle East, Oxford Google Scholar
Lopez, R.S. and Raymond, I. (eds), Medieval trade in the Mediterranean world. New York (1995)
Luzzatto, M. (1961), An economic history of Italy to the beginning of the XVIth century, London
MacKay, A. (1981), Money, prices and politics in fifteenth century Castile, London
Magalhães-Godhino, V. (1969), L’économie de l’empire portugais aux XVe et XVIe siècles, Paris
Mallett, M.E. (1967), The Florentine galleys in the fifteenth century, Oxford
Malowist, M. (1966), ‘The problem of the inequality of economic development in Europe in the later Middle Ages’, Economic History Review 2nd series 19 Google Scholar
Marques, A.H. O. (1959a), Hansa e Portugal na idade media, Lisbon
Marques, A.H. O. (1959b), ‘Navigation entre la Prusse et le Portugal au début du XVe siècle’, Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte 46 Google Scholar
Marques, A.H. O. (1962), ‘Notas para a história da feitoria portuguesa na Flandres, no século XV’, in Studi in onore di A. Fanfani II, Milan Google Scholar
Mazzoui, M. (1981), The Italian cotton industy in the later Middle Ages, Cambridge
Melis, F. (ed.), Documenti per la storia economica dei secoli XIII– XVI, Florence (1972)
Mollat, M. (1951), Le commerce maritime normand à la fin du moyen âge, Paris
Mollat, M. (1988), Jacques Coeur ou l’esprit d’entreprise au XVe siècle, Paris
Mollat, M. (ed.), Comptabilité du port de Dieppe au XVe siècle, Paris (1951)
Mollat, M. (ed.), Les affaires de Jacques Coeur. Journal du procureur Dauvet, 2 vols., Paris (19521953)
Munro, J. (1972), Wool, cloth and gold. The struggle for bullion in Anglo-Burgundian trade 1340– 1478, Toronto
Munro, J. (1988), ‘Deflation and the petty coinage problem in the late-medieval economy: the case of Flanders, 1334– 1484’, Explorations in Economic history 25 Google Scholar
Nicholas, D. (1992), Medieval Flanders, London
Nightingale, P. (1995), A medieval mercantile communiy. The Grocers’ Company and the politics and trade of London, 1000– 1485, London and New Haven
Phillips, J.R.S. (1988), The medieval expansion of Europe, Oxford
Phillips, W.D. Jnr, and Phillips, C.R. (1992), The worlds of Christopher Columbus, Cambridge
Postan, M.M. and Miller, E. (eds.) (1987), The Cambridge economic history of Europe, II: Trade and industy in the Middle Ages, 2nd edn, Cambridge
Postan, M.M. and Power, E. (eds.) (1933), Studies in English trade in the fifteenth century, London
Postan, M.M., Rich, E.E., and Miller, E. (eds.) (1963), The Cambridge economic history of Europe, II: Economic organization and policies in the Middle Ages, Cambridge
Rau, V. (1957), ‘A family of Italian merchants in Portugal in the fifteenth century: the Lomellini’, in Studi in onore di A. Sapori, I, Milan Google Scholar
Rau, V. and Macedo, J. (1962), O açucar da Madeira nos fins do século XV, Funchal
Renouard, Y. (1965), Histoire de Bordeaux, II: Bordeaux sous les rois d’Angleterre, Bordeaux
Renouard, Y. (1968), Les hommes d’affaires italiens du moyen âge, revised edn, Paris
Ruddock, A.A. (1951), Italian merchants and shipping in Southampton, Southampton
Ruddock, A.A. and Reddaway, T.F. (eds.), ‘The accounts of John Balsall, purser of the Trinity of Bristol 1480– 1’, Camden Miscellany XXIII, Royal Historical Society, London (1969)Google Scholar
Sapori, A. (1952), Le marchand italien au moyen âge, Paris
Scammell, G. V. (1981), The world encompassed. The first European maritime empires, c. 800– 1650, London
Schnyder, W. (1973), Handel und Verkehr über die Pässe in Mittelalter, Zurich
Smit, H.J. (ed.), Bronnen tot de geschiedenis van den Handel met England, Schotland en Ierland, 4 vols., Rijks Geschiedkundige Publicatien, 65, 66, 86, 91, The Hague (19281950)
Sneller, Z.W. and Unger, W.S. (eds.), Bronnen tot de geschiedenis van den Handel met Frankrijk, Rijks Geschiedkundige Publicatien, 70, The Hague (1930)
Sprandel, R. (1968), Das Eisengewerbe im Mittelalter, Stuttgart
Spufford, P. (1988), Money and its use in medieval Europe, Cambridge
Stieda, W. (ed.), Hildebrand Veckinchusen. Briefwechsel eines deutschen Kaufmanns im 15 Jahrhundert, Leipzig (1921)
Stromer, W. von (1970), ‘Nuremberg in the international economies of the Middle Ages’, Business History Review 44 Google Scholar
The libelle of Englyshepolycye.Apoem on the use of seapower1436, ed. Warner, G., Oxford (1926)
Thielemans, M.R. (1967), Bourgogne et Angleterre. Relations politiques et économiques entre les Pays-Bas bourguignons et l’Angleterre, 1435– 1467, Brussels
Thiriet, F. (1959), La Romanie vénitienne au my en âge. Le développement et l’exploitation du domaine colonial vénitien (XIIe– XVe siècles), Paris
Thorsteinsson, B. (1970), Enska öldin í sögu íslendinga, Reykjavik
Torre, A. and , E.A. (eds.), Cuentas de Gonzalo de Baeza, tesorero de Isabel la Católica, 1477– 1504, Consejo Superior de Investigaciónes Cientificas, Patronato Menendez, M., Pelayo, Biblioteca ‘Reyes Católicos’, Textos, Documentos y., 5– 6, Madrid (19551956)
Touchard, H. (1967), Le commerce maritime breton à la fin du myen âge, Paris
Unger, R. (1980), The ship in the medieval economy 600– 1600, London and Montreal
Van der Wee, H. (1963), The growth of the Antwerp market and the European economy, 3 vols., The Hague
Van Houtte, J. (1952), ‘Bruges et Anvers, marchés “nationaux” ou “internationaux” du XIVe au XVIe siècle’, Revue du nord 34 Google Scholar
Van Houtte, J. (1966), ‘The rise and decline of the market of Bruges’, Economic History Review 2nd series 19 Google Scholar
Van Werveke, H. (1944), Bruges et Anvers. Huit siècles de commerce flamand, Brussels
Veale, E.M. (1966), The English ftur trade in the later Middle Ages, Oxford
Verlinden, C. (1957), ‘La colonie italienne de Lisbonne et le développement de l’économie métropolitaine et coloniale portugaise’, in Studi in onore di A. Sapori, I, Milan Google Scholar
Watson, W.B. (1961), ‘The structure of the Florentine galley trade with England and Flanders in the fifteenth century’, Revue belge de philologie et d’histoire 39 Google Scholar
Watson, W.B. (1962), ‘The structure of the Florentine galley trade with England and Flanders in the fifteenth century’, Revue belge de philologie et d’histoire 40 Google Scholar
Watson, W.B. (1967), ‘Catalans in the markets of northern Europe during the fifteenth century’, in Homenaje a Jaime Vicens Vives, II, Barcelona Google Scholar
Wolffe, P. (1954), Commerces et marchands de Toulouse, 1350– 1450, Paris

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×