Medieval Merchants: York, Beverley and Hull in the Later Middle Ages [Paperback]

An analysis of merchant lives in three northern British cities in the later middle ages.This book is based on some 1400 persons who lived in three northern English towns during the later middle ages. It analyses the many aspects of merchant society: achievements in politics, attitudes towards religion, the family, wider circles of friends and business acquaintances, and the nature and conduct of trade. Merchants were at the core of urban society and played a central role in the development of urban mentalité. This is one of the broadest studies of them yet published, integrating a very wide range of original sources.This book is based on some 1400 persons who lived in three northern English towns during the later middle ages. It analyses the many aspects of merchant society: achievements in politics, attitudes towards religion, the family, wider circles of friends and business acquaintances, and the nature and conduct of trade. Merchants were at the core of urban society and played a central role in the development of urban mentalité. This is one of the broadest studies of them yet published, integrating a very wide range of original sources.This book is based on the biographies of some 1400 individuals who lived in three northern English towns during the later Middle Ages. It analyzes the many aspects of merchant society: achievements in politics, attitudes toward religion, the family, wider circles of friends and business acquaintances, and the nature and conduct of trade. Merchants were at the core of urban society and played a central role in the development of urban mentalité. This is one of the broadest studies of them yet published, integrating a very wide range of original sources.1. Introduction; Part I. Society and Politics: 2. Merchants in town government; 3. Merchant society: families, dependants and friends, the evidence of wills; 4. Merchants and religion, the evidence of wills; Part II. Entrepreneurship and Capital Accumula