Look inside this book

(+) Larger View

i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x, xi, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 39, 57, 86, 140, 167, 189, 221, 225, 242

• Medieval Economic History
• European Social History
• European Economic History
• Henri Pirenne

• Learn about Questia
• Subscribe Now

Economic and Social History of Medieval Europe

by Henri Pirenne. 242 pgs.

Contributors:

   Henri Pirenne

Publisher:

   Harcourt Brace

Place of Publication:

  New York  

Publication Year:

  1937

Subjects:

Economic History--Medieval, 500-1500, Social History--Medieval, 500-1500, Europe--Economic Conditions--To 1492, Europe--Social Conditions--To 1492

	CONTENTS
	Preface to the English Translation
	INTRODUCTION
	Break up of the economic equilibrium of the ancient world , ;	1
	Saracens and Christians in the West , ;	3
	disappearance of commerce in the West , ;	4
	economic regression under the Carolingians , ;	6
	agrarian character of society from the ninth century , ;	7
	the great estates , ;	8
	absence of outlets , ;	8
	occasional commerce , ;	9
	local markets , ;	10
	the Jews , ;	11
	character of society from the ninth century , ;	11
	supremacy of the Church , ;	12
	economic ideal of the Church , ;	13
	prohibition of usury , .	13
	ONE. THE REVIVAL OF COMMERCE
1.	THE MEDITERRANEAN
	Continuation of Mediterranean in commerce Byzantine Italy , ;	15
	commerce of Byzantine Italy and Venice with Islam , ;	16
	Venetian expansion , ;	17
	Venice and the Byzantine Empire , .	19
II.	THE NORTH SEA AND THE BALTIC	20
	The raids of the Northmen , ;	20
	commercial expansion of the Scandinavians , ;	21
	Scandinavian commerce in Russia , ;	22
	Scandinavian commerce in the Baltic , ;	23
	Scandinavian commerce in the North Sea , .	24
III.	THE REVIVAL OF COMMERCE	25
	First economic relations of Venice with the West , ;	26
	the Church and the merchants , ;	27
	Pisa and Genoa , ;	28
	the First Crusade , ;	29
	the Mediterranean opened again to Western commerce , ;	30
	the crusades and Italian navigation , ;	31
	supremacy of the Italians in the Mediterranean , ;	32
	decline of Byzantine navigation , ;	32
	Italian commerce , ;	33
	commerce north of the Alps , ;	83
	the Flemish cloth industry , ;	35
	the cloth trade , .	35
	TWO. THE TOWNS
I.	THE REVIVAL OF URBAN LIFE	39
	Disappearance of urban life in the eighth century , ;	40
	the bourgs , ;	41
	the first mercantile agglomerations , ;	41
	the ports , ;	42
	concentration of industry in the towns , .	42
III.	MERCHANTS AND THE BOURGEOISIE	44
	The alleged manorial origin of the merchant class , ;	44
	adventurers and merchants , ;	45
	Godric of Finchale , ;	46
	the earliest commercial profits , ;	46
	influence of navigation on commerce , ;	47
	the first commercial fortunes , .	47
III.	URBAN INSTITUTIONS AND LAW	49
	The bourgeoisie and agrarian society , ;	49
	freedom of the bourgeoisie , ;	50
	rise of a new town law , ;	51
	legal and administrative autonomy of the towns , ;	51
	the town wall , ;	53
	town finances , ;	53
	the town magistrates , ;	53
	the towns and the princes , ;	54
	privileges of the bourgeoisie , .	55
	THREE. LAND AND THE RURAL CLASSES
I.	MANORIAL ORGANISATION AND SERFDOM	57
	Numerical predominance of the country over the towns , ;	57
	the great estates , ;	58
	the curtis or manor , ;	60
	the tenants' holdings and the lord's demesne , ;	60
	tenants and serfs , ;	61
	legal and religious unity of the manor , ;	62
	patriarchal character of manorial organisation , ;	62
	economic character of the manors , ;	63
	the agrarian system , ;	63
	seigneurial dues , .	65
II.	CHANGES IN AGRICULTURE FROM THE BEGENNING OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY	66
	Increase of population , ;	66
	the Cistercian estates , ;	68
	the hôtes , ;	69
	the first clearings , ;	70
	the "new towns," ;	70
	drainage works , ;	74
	Flemish colonists in Germany , ;	76
	German colonisation beyond the Elbe , ;	76
	influence of the towns on the countryside , ;	77
	the progress of monetary circulation and its consequences , ;	78
	transformation of manorial organisation , ;	80
	influence of commerce on the countryside , ;	83
	rise of a land market , .	84
	FOUR. COMMERCE TO THE END OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY
I.	THE MOVEMIENT OF TRADE	86
	Tolls , ;	86
	state of the roads , ;	87
	means of transport , ;	88
	rivers and canals , ;	89
	shipping , ;	89
	absence of protection
	attitude of the princes towards commerce , ;	91
	gilds and Hanses , ;	93
	decline of itinerant commerce , .	95
II.	THE FAIRS	96
	Fairs and markets , ;	96
	origin and development of the fairs , ;	97
	law of the fairs , ;	98
	the fairs of Champagne , ;	99
	the fairs of Champagne and commerce , ;	100
	the fairs of Champagne and credit , ;	101
	decline of the fairs of Champagne , .	102
III.	MONEY	102
	Natural economy and money economy , ;	102
	Carolingian origin of the monetary system , ;	106
	the Carolingian coinage , ;	107
	the coinage in the feudal era , ;	108
	exploitation of the coinage by the princes , ;	110
	royal coinage , ;	111
	appearance of the gros , ;	113
	revival of a gold currency , .	115
IV.	CREDIT AND THE TRAFFIC IN MONEY	116
	Antiquity of credit , ;	116
	loans for consumption by ecclesiastical institutions , ;	118
	origin of commercial credit , ;	119
	early forms of credit in Italy , ;	121
	the education of merchants and the use of credit , ;	122
	commerce and credit , ;	124
	the trade in money , ;	125
	financial operations of the merchants , ;	126
	loans at interest , ;	128
	progress of credit in Italy , ;	129
	the Jews , ;	131
	"loan tables," ;	133
	exchangers , ;	134
	land rents , ;	135
	life rents , ;	136
	legislation on usury , .	137
	FIVE. INTERNATIONAL TRADE TO THE END OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY
I.	COMMODITIES AND DIRECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE	140
	Spices , ;	141
	the trade in spices in the Mediterranean , ;	142
	the trade in Eastern products , ;	143
	the cloth trade , ;	143
	the port of Bruges , ;	145
	the Teutonic Hanse , ;	146
	Hanseatic commerce , ;	148
	the trade of Continental Germany , ;	148
	English trade , ;	150
	French trade , ;	152
	Spanish trade , ;	156
	the predominance of natural products in commerce , ;	157
	metallurgy and mines , ;	157
	the superiority of Italian commercial technique , ;	158
	the volume of medieval trade , .	159
II.	THE CAPITALISTIC CHARACTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE	160
	Arguments against the existence of medieval capitalism , ;	160
	capital the result of long-distance trade , ;	161
	importance of commercial profits , ;	162
	origins of mercantile capital , ;	163
	investment of commercial profits in land , ;	165
	wholesale and retail trade , .	165
	SIX. URBAN ECONOMY AND THE REGULATION OF INDUSTRY
I.	THE TOWNS AS ECONOMIC CENTRES. THE PROVISIONING OF THE TOWNS	167
	Economic character of medieval towns , ;	167
	the clergy and nobility in the towns , ;	168
	density of town populaion , ;	169
	growth of town population down to the beginning of the fourteenth century , ;	170
	food policy of the town authorities , ;	172
	the provisioning of towns and commerce , ;	174
	brokers , ;	175
	exclusion of outsiders from retail trade , .	175
II.	URBAN INDUSTRY	176
	Clientèle of urban industry , ;	177
	origin of the craft gilds , ;	177
	the industrial monopoly of the crafts , ;	180
	tendency of the crafts towards autonomy , ;	182
	protection of the producer , ;	183
	protection of the consumer , ;	184
	hierarchy of artisans , ;	184
	crafts in the export industries , ;	185
	social condition of the workers in these industries , .	187
	SEVEN. THE ECONOMIC CHANGES OF THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIES
I.	CATASTROPHES AND SOCIAL DISTURBANCES	189
	Economic characteristics of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries , ;	189
	a period of stabilisation , ;	191
	the famine of 1315 and the Black Death , ;	192
	the revolt of maritime Flanders , ;	195
	the English insurrection of 1381 , ;	196
	discontent with town oligarchies , ;	198
	the democratic revolution , ;	199
	the area of the social disturbances , ;	199
	the struggle of the "small' and the "great," ;	200
	social disturbances among the workers in the export trades , ;	201
	reform of the municipal governments , ;	202
	social conflicts in Flanders , ;	202
	the journeymen's associations , .	205
II.	PROTECTIONISM, CAPITALISM AND MERCANTILISM	206
	Progress of urban protectionism , ;	206
	crafts and capitalists , ;	208
	new forms of capitalistic commerce , ;	210
	formation of a new class of capitalists , ;	212
	princes and capitalists , ;	214
	State intervention in economic life , ;	216
	beginning of a mercantilist policy , .	217
	General Bibliography	221
	Index of Authors	225
	General Index	229

Questia Books and Articles on Similar Subjects