Merchants — Middle Ages

The story behind the answer

Town-based traders specialized in buying goods in one region and selling them in another. They organized caravans and ships, negotiated privileges at fairs, and used credit to move expensive, bulky, or rare commodities over long distances. By contrast, artisans mainly crafted goods for local markets, nobles derived wealth from land and warfare, and monks ran self-sufficient estates and scholarship.

From the 12th to 15th centuries, European commerce boomed through networks such as the Champagne Fairs linking Italy and Flanders, the Hanseatic League in the Baltic and North Sea, and the Mediterranean routes of Venice and Genoa. Innovations like bills of exchange and commenda partnerships reduced risk and moved money without moving coin, fueling urban growth and the rise of an independent merchant class.