Trade

Trade is the exchange of many goods and/or services domestically or internationally. In the middle ages, trade was a big part of many lives. There were many craftsmen and merchants all around town trying to sell or buy goods, and find good bargains. Traders traveled several miles to find good commodities to sell and crowded events to go to.

Trade in Medieval Europe started blooming after the fall of the Roman Empire - during the 12th and 13th centuries. Merchants could travel long routes safely during this time and the formed a barrier for those travelers going out of the country. However, trade between Asia and Europe was difficult due to transportation expenses and the lack of valuable goods in Europe.

Trade of Languages:

Trade brought languages to and from different countries. Languages were swapped through trade during the middle ages, and due to this, more and more people learned many more languages. Many good things came out of this. One was that more people became literate and had a chance to be educated. Another benefit of trade was that the first stages of grammar came and Greek roots developed. Greek roots brought epics and legends to the world which lead to the start of fiction and non-fiction ideas.

Merchants

Most merchants during the Middle Ages joined guilds in order to have better trading. Sometimes, merchants grew to be one of the wealthiest people during the Middle Ages if they were smart and clever. Kings and other government officials borrowed money from the merchants. Rich merchants grew very conscious of their looks. They thought that they had to be perfect in order to impress officials or even lowly customers; and for the most part, they thought correct.

Merchants in Medieval Europe had to travel very far distances to find anything worthy to trade. However, no merchant would go too far due to their theory that the earth was flat and they would fall off the edge.

Merchants established their own routes to trade and find items to trade. Land and ocean routes were used for different reasons. Ocean routes were used for heavy items, or many traders going in the same direction with many trade items. Land routes were for individuals who either didn't have many items, or were looking for valuables to trade through towns and villages.

Merchant's Duties:

Merchants had many duties to fulfill in order to sustain a position in the society. One duty was showing respect and hospitality to higher classes and their customers. Even though the merchants were respected, they had no right to be obnoxious to others. They had to be aware of everything going on in and out of their business. The employees had to be on watch, just like the economy, how the customers liked or not liking the products, how well their items were selling, etc. As you can see, merchants' lives weren't just going around selling thing to people, it was hard work that involved lots of thinking and planning.

Merchandise

There was a wide variety of merchandise sold during the middle ages. They ranged from pots, pans, and rugs, to silks, jewels, and spices. Some examples of expensive and valuable merchandise in the middle ages included silks, jewels, spices, and perfumes. These were sold to wealthier people such as royalty and officials in the society.

Origins of Merchandise

Jewels and spices were the most valuable items traded, and were mainly traded between Asia, Europe, and Africa during the Medieval times. Spices were grown in India and the East Indies and were transported to Europe and the far East. Silk and Porcelain was transported to Europe and the far East. The Islamic world made glasswork, metal ware, carpets, and rugs. Last but not least, northern Europe made wool, cloth, amber, furs, metalwork, and gold and silverware.

Money

During Medieval trade, merchandise was often traded for money or other merchandise. When items were traded for money, they sometimes used gold or silver coins. As the merchants would take the coins, they would weigh them to see their true value. Another type of money that was used commonly, was paper money. However, this type of money was only used through Asia and Europe.