development of trade in cities and gothic art

1. UNIT 4
CITIES IN MEDIEVAL
EUROPE
Social Studies
2ºESO
Almudena Corrales Marbán

2. 1. ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
TRANSFORMATION
Almudena Corrales Marbán
1.1. ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
Between the 11th and the 13th centuries, there was a constant increase
in population.
EUROPE
1000 AD • 42 million inhabitants
1300 AD
• 73 million inhabitants

3. Almudena Corrales Marbán
Technological innovations were
included:
1. Three-year crop rotation.
2. Iron –wheeled moulboard plough
3. Horses were introduced as draught
animals.

4. Almudena Corrales Marbán
1.2. POLITICAL TRANSFORMATION
• Medieval monarchs tried to impose their
authority over the feudal lords. They
introduced the Cortes or parliaments.
• The parliament was one of the
instruments the medieval monarchs used
to impose their authority over the feudal
lords. These were assemblies in which not
only the priviledged estates of realm
took part but also the bourgeoisie, who
represented the urban population. The
king asked for help, usually in form of
taxes, or advice.

5. 2. MEDIEVAL CITIES
Almudena Corrales Marbán
2.1. POLITICAL ORGANISATION
Feudal lords controlled the land on which the cities
were built. However, the inhabitants of the cities did
not approved this situation and demanded greater
authority, as they were becaming wealthier.
Trade was important for the kings, since markets
provided money to the cities and taxes were collected.
As a result, kings and feudal lords granted FUEROS to
the cities: documents which especified the rights of
the lords or kings over the inhabitants and the
privileges of the cities.
Fuero de
Alcalá de
Henares,
1235

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The administration of the city
A COUNCIL (consejo) to which the
inhabitants delegated their power. It was
formed by members of the richest and most
influential families. The council was
responsable for:
• collecting taxes
• regulating the market
• organising city’s defence
VARIOUS MAGISTRATES. They were in
charge of:
• carrying out the orders of the council
• keeping public order
• Administrate justice
IMPORTANT!!!!

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2.2. ECONOMY
CRAFTS
• Textiles
• Construction
• Food
Guilds (gremios) were
established. They were
associations of craftworkers
who practised the same trade.
MASTER
He owned his own workshop, including
tools and raw materials
JOURNEYMAN
He received wage. To become a master,
he had to produce a masterpiece.
APPRENTICE
They didn’t earn a wage.. They lived in
the master’s home. They spent several
years learning the trade

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TRADE
In the towns and cities, there were
weekly markets where peasants sold
their products.
In some cities, they also held trade fairs
once or more times a year. They were
big markets that lasted for several
weeks or months and attended by
merchants from different countries.
They sold products like textiles, fairs,
sugar, spices, etc.
As trade and economic activities grew,
new professions were developed like
bankers and money changers.
El cambista y su mujer, Marinus van
Reymerswael, 1532.

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Foreign trade developed considerabily, especially sea trade. New technical
resources were introduced:
• Compass and astrolabe
• Ships could carry more cargo and sail faster.
The main European trading areas were:
Southern Europe
• Italian Peninsula: Genoa, Pisa, Venice.
• Catalan cities: Barcelona.
• North Africa, East Europe.
Central and northern Europe
• Bruges, Hamburg, Frankfurt
• Hanseatic League: economic alliance to protect commercial interests.

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2.3. SOCIETY Created by Cristina de
la Vega

13. 2.4. ARCHITECTURE AND
ART
Almudena Corrales Marbán
A) ARQUITECTURE
• Gothic style
• Religious buildings (churches and
cathedrals)
• Secular buildings (palaces, lonjas,
universities, town halls)
• Buildings: very high and huge windows:
stained glass windows and rose windows.
• Pointed arches supported by columns or
pillars
• Ribbed vault, flying buttresses and
buttresses crowned by pinnacles

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B) SCULPTURE
• Wood and stole
• Linked to architecture
• Relief forms
• Didactic purpose
• More realistic than Romanesque figures
• Themes-> religious figures.
C) PAINTING
• Wood or canvas
• Books (miniatures)
• Painting of altarpieces
• Techniques: tempera and oil painting (end
of Gothic Age)
• Figures are very stylised and more realistic
as time goes by.
• Religious themes but daily life scenes will
become popular
La Virgen Blanca, catedral de León
El mes de mayo.
Página del
Calendario del
libro Las Muy
Ricas Horas del
Duque de Berry,
de los hermanos
Limbourg. 1411-
141