Rise of the Medieval Bourgeoisie and Merchant Guilds

The Origins of the Bourgeoisie and Medieval Towns

The fortified town was known as the burgher town, as were its residents. The word originally had a very broad sense. In small towns, most of the burghers were farmers, gardeners, or vintners. Even in major cities, pigs ran through the streets; when a prince was to visit a city, the Council ordered the residents to remove piles of manure from the front of their houses.

Craftsmen and Trade Regulations

In some cities, only the wealthier inhabitants were craftsmen who worked a trade, and the main owners were merchants and burghers. In the countries of the South, any artisan who wanted to manufacture and sell could open a store freely. This was the case in France until the late Middle Ages, but in Germany, England, and some large cities in Italy, another scheme emerged little by little: all the workers of the same trade in the same city formed a partnership.

The Power of Merchant Guilds and the Hanse

Retailers, in order to shield their goods from attacks by bandits and knights, assembled in armed caravans with horses. They formed mutual support societies called guilds, Hanses, or brotherhoods. They met in a room to drink, discuss their business, and pay a fee to maintain a fund. Some of these companies became very powerful; for example, the Hanse (Hanseatic League) of foreign traders established in London.

The Merchant Influence in Paris

In Paris, the association of boat owners who traded down the Seine eventually came to govern the affairs of the city. This was called the Hanse of the Water Merchants. Their leaders, the mayor and aldermen of the merchants, came to constitute the Council of the city of Paris. Their meeting place was the municipal building, and their insignia has remained the coat of arms of Paris: a boat accompanied by the motto Fluctuat nec mergitur ("It is tossed by the waves but does not sink").

Social Hierarchy and the Wealthy Elite

The merchants were more influential than the artisans, as they generally worked less and earned more. They were usually organized into specialized professions. The main requirements were those of:

• Drapers and clothiers
• Merchants who acted as bankers
• Haberdashers, selling all items coming from afar (who later formed a guild of grocers)

The most respected burghers were rich merchants and property owners established in the city. In the south of France, Italy, and some German cities, they lived like nobles, arming themselves and inhabiting fortified houses. In Germany, they called themselves lords and patricians.

Political Influence and the French Crown

Among those rich burghers, the King of France began, from the 14th century, to choose his advisers and officials. A citizen of Paris, Etienne Barbette, advised Philip the Fair to increase profits by debasing the currency—mixing gold or silver with lesser metals so the king could retain more precious metal during the manufacture of coins. Barbette had a luxury home, a hotel, which the people sacked in due course. In France, this wealthy population, who did not work manually, were the only people who continued to be called the bourgeoisie.