2. During the 14th and 15th centuries, guilds were
established.
These were associations of craftsmen within a craft.
The guild system spread from Germany to the Nordic
countries during the 15th century.
Every occupational group had their own guild.
Example: The painters belonged to the painters’ guild,
The carpenters to the carpenters’ guild and so on.
3. The guilds decided whether a journeyman would become a
master. To be allowed to work as a master, the Town Council had
to accept you as a citizen of the town.
A citizen was a contribution to the town, since he paid tax.
The guilds made sure that there were not too many masters and
that there would be work for all.
4. The guilds had a social task as well.
1. They took care of their sick members.
2. Provided education for fatherless children.
3. Helped widows who were not able to support themselves.
4. If a widow was familiar with the craft, she had the right to
inherit her husband’s business.
During the Middle Ages, this was the only possibility for a
woman to become economically independent
5. The guilds had detailed rules of how the crafts should be
conducted.
They also set the rules for training.
Small boys started as apprentices to a master at the age of
eight or nine. To begin with, they only did the simplest work.
When they got older, they were gradually given more
responsibility.
After seven or eight years, an apprentice usually knew enough
to prove his skill by making a qualifying piece of work. This piece
of work was often complicated and richly decorated - the young
man wanted to show how clever he was.
If his work was approved of, he became a journeyman.
6. Most journeymen travelled to learn more. The journeys could
last for a long time and could be taken to foreign countries.
When the young man returned, he brought home new ideas and
techniques.
When the journeyman came back, he could take an examination
for the master. If he passed the examination, he became a
master himself, and could apply for complete membership of the
guild. The new master was accepted into the guild at a grand
ceremony. One of the most important rituals was to drink with
the others from the so-called "välkomman" (the welcomer), a
richly adorned cup. If there was no need for a new master in the
town, he had to go to another town or continue as a journeyman
