HIST 2220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Barter, Usury, Safe Conduct
Document Summary
The city in the late 12th and early 13th centuries: Cities had already been growing, but there"s an even faster rate of growth now: between 1180-1328, paris quintupled in size, most major european cities in place by 1200, peak of population in the 1300s. In the 11th and 12th centuries, cities are the centers of trade for bulk goods. Growth of manufacturing and industry in the 13th century: cities become places where raw goods are turned into fine goods for export. Tool 1: more kinds of coin, money was the silver penny. Worth of the coin is equal to the amount of actual silver in it. Each mint has its own unique blend of metals in each coin: coins scarce in the early medieval period, but dramatic change after 1160. New silver mines in germany, tuscany, and bohemia. Amount of coins per person tripled during this period: far less barter by 13th century.