Before European Hegemony

Trade already existed between the Middle East and the Orient, prior to Europe's recovery from the Dark Ages and its entrance into the world trade system. The time period of 1250-1350 AD can be seen as a turning point in sociological influence, with Europe shifting from a periphery to primary power. During this period, an area in present day France became home to four cities known as the Champagne fair towns. These towns became popular trading hubs because they were located between the port cities of Italy and the textiles regions of Flanders. Many foreign traders and merchants were also attracted to these fair by protection and guards provided by the Counts of Champagne. These fairs where held on predefined schedules, which eventually evolved into a circuit. Italians played an enormous role in the development of European trade through their movement of goods between Europe and Orient and the introduction of banking to the Champagne fairs. Various circumstances lead to the end of the Champagne fairs, with the final blow being delivered by the Black Plague in the 1350s.

Like the Champagne fairs, these towns also had their own, albeit smaller, trade circuit. The 13th century brought about the commercialization and industrialization of the two Flanders' cities Bruges and Ghent. Worldwide demand for superior Flemish textiles allowed merchants from Bruges to abstain from seeking out trade in other cities, bringing the merchants to Bruges. However, the downfall of the Flemish textile industry was due to lack of high quality English wool and the Black Plague. As the English textile industry was further developed, less and less wool was sold to Flemish cities.

It seems to me that the county of Champagne brought about its own destruction of the the fairs. The author suggests on pages 70-73 that a major contributor to the decline of the fairs was the treatment of foreign merchants, due to wars between France and Flanders. In the latter 13th and early 14th centuries, Flemish merchants were frequently mistreated and harassed; even banned from the fairs altogether in 1325. When they were allowed to return, steep taxes were forced onto their imports. The French government also placed restrictions on Italian merchants wanting to trade for Flemish textiles. These actions caused the Italians to develop a naval trading route to the cities of Flanders, bypassing the middleman.

It seems like Champagne lost the hospitality that initially brought the popular trading to the fairs of Champagne. Do you think that the fairs of Champagne could have survived through the other causes of their downfall if more respect was paid to foreign merchants?

-Derek Leidemann