International Trade in the Middle Ages

From wool and leather to silks, spices and gems, a fascinating journey through early international trade.

In this absorbing and informative book, Hilary Green takes the reader on a journey through the complex developing trade of the middle ages which is the foundation of trade today.

Taking the production of wool in the abbeys of the north of England as a starting point, she follows its journey to Flanders where it is woven into a variety of textiles in the growing international market place of Bruges. The journey continues to Bordeaux where the wool is traded for wine which finds its way back to London where some of it is traded for more wool.

The book describes the trade fairs of the Champagne region of France where wool and leather goods along with salt, iron and other commodities are traded and where banking starts to develop. It then describes the arrival of merchants Genoa and traces the various trade routes whether by land over the Alps, by river or the Mediterranean sea. By these routes, silks and spices come from the repositories in Alexandria and before that via camel trains from Arabia. The book unveils the mysteries and intrigue of trade as silkworms are smuggled into Constantinople and precious gems and ivory are shipped from unknown locations. Arab and Indian merchants brought exotic spices cumin and ginger, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon and aromatics such a myrrh and frankincense to Egypt via the Red Sea.

As trade expanded and became more valuable, international relations became more sophisticated as governments moved to protect the valuable income it brought and as nations became ever more competitive.