Rise of Medieval Cities: Trade, Artisans, and Guilds

The Emergence of Medieval Cities and the Bourgeoisie

By the eleventh century, the terror of barbarian invasions had largely disappeared. After centuries of a subsistence rural economy, improved agricultural practices began to produce a significant surplus. As is often the case with agricultural surpluses, two key activities developed: trade and specialization (also known as the division of labor). This latter characteristic is fundamental to the settlements we now call cities.

Unlike ancient cities, which were often organized around individuals possessing essential knowledge for survival, medieval urban centers saw merchants and craftsmen gravitate towards the castles of lords, abbeys, and other wealthy strongholds that had accumulated riches from feudal dues.

Traders and artisans grouped together, often without strict order, in the vicinity of these castles. These new neighborhoods and settlements began to be called burgs, and their inhabitants, the bourgeoisie.

The bourgeoisie represented a new social class whose wealth was not tied to land ownership. This emerging class would ultimately contribute significantly to the crisis of feudalism.

Artisans and Urban Life

The word "craft" refers to a practical art, which, unlike the fine arts cultivated by artists, serves to remedy a material need. In other words, a craftsman's work directly addresses practical requirements, not health (though this is not to imply that craftsmen enjoyed particularly good health or were immune to ailments like the flu).

As migration to cities was somewhat chaotic and the prevailing mentality of the times encouraged communal living, artisans of the same trade often settled on the same street. Thus, streets in old towns are frequently named after the trades practiced there, such as "Silversmiths' Street," "Dyers' Lane," or "Shoemakers' Alley."

The Role of Guilds in Medieval Society

This communal mentality led craftsmen to group into powerful organizations known as guilds. Guilds served a dual purpose:

• Defense of Rights: They defended their members' rights and attended to their needs, such as supporting orphans and widows.
• Regulation of Activity: They fully regulated artisan activity, often stifling individual initiative and competition.

Within a master's workshop, apprentices (or "Learners") began to learn the craft as early as age seven. In exchange for their often arduous work, the Master provided lodging and sustenance but no salary.

When an apprentice mastered the craft, the guild administered a rigorous test. If successful, the apprentice became a journeyman, who could then earn a small salary while working for a Master.

Over time, if a journeyman could create a "masterpiece" – a demonstration of exceptional skill and artistry – the guild would name him a Master. A Master could then establish his own workshop and take on apprentices.

It is important to note that modern concepts like social security, paid vacations, unemployment insurance, and pension contributions were far in the future, in some cases not appearing until the twentieth century. During the Middle Ages, leisure was minimal, often limited to Sunday worship. People typically worked 12 to 16 hours a day, and in cases of illness or old age, support was scarce or non-existent.