2. • The word “guild” is from the Saxon “gilden” meaning
"to pay" and refers to the membership fee paid to the
Guilds by their members.
• similar to modern labor unions where the guilds set
standards for their professions and protected the
interests of their members.
• A higher social status could be achieved through
membership to a guild
• There were two main kinds of Medieval guilds :
 Merchant Guilds
 Craft Guilds

3. Craft Guilds
The Craft Guilds were organizations for protection
and mutual aid.
a 'closed shop' or monopoly preventing any outside
competition.
 Prices were fixed between members of the Craft
Guilds.
 And the Craft Guilds ensured that high standards
of quality were maintained.
 The number of Craft Guild members were also
regulated, allowing a restricted membership in
order to ensure that the numbers of Craft Guilds
did not exceed the business requirements.

4. Rules:
 A ban or fines imposed, on any illicit trading by non Craft
Guild members
 Fines were imposed on any Craft Guild members who
violated the charter of their particular Craft Guild
 All members were to retain all secrets of their trade
 Competition between members was regulated by fixed
pricing policies - advertising and price cutting was banned
 Members of the Craft Guilds were protected and any
member who fell sick was cared for by the guild. Burials of
guild members were arranged and the Craft Guilds
undertook to care for any orphans
 The members of Craft Guilds also provided protection of
their horses, wagons, and goods when moving about the
land as travelling during the Middle Ages was dangerous
 Looked after the souls of its members

5. To Become a member of Craft
Guilds .....
A man would have to work through three phases to become a
member of a Medieval Craft Guild during the Middle Ages.
• Apprentice - A Craft Guild Apprentice was sent to work for a 'Master'
during his early teens. The Craft Guild Apprenticeship lasted between
5 and 9 years depending on the trade. During this time the apprentice
received no wages - just his board, lodging and training. An
Apprentice was not allowed to marry until he reached the status of a
Journeyman
• Journeyman - A Craft Guild Journeyman was paid for his labour.
During this time the Journeyman would create his 'Masterpiece', in
his own time, which he would present to the Craft Guild as evidence
of his craftsmanship in the hope of being accepted as a Craft Guild
'Master'. It was difficult to reach the status of 'Master' and much
depended on the Journeyman's standing and acceptance by the top
members of the Craft Guild
• Master - A Craft Guild Master could set up his own workshop and
then train his own apprentices

6. The Great Guild
• An association of married
German merchants +
other
• The most powerful trade
institution
• Founded in about 1325
(1363)
• Dissolved in 1920

7. •The house purchased in 1406,
completed in 1410 (1417)
•Most distinguished public house
until 1913 (name of the guild)
•The Grand Hall
•Wine cellar, history museum (1952)

8. • Dannebrog
• Bronze lionhead
knockers:
- “anno domini milessimo
CCCCXXX O rex glorie
xpe veni in pace “
- “got d’ ghebenediet al
dat hus is vnde noch
komen sal”

9. Festivities
•Christmas and Shrove Tuesday (Carneval)
•Parrot shooting
•Count of May festival
Procession,
Masquerade , dances
3-6 courses:
Boiled water
Beef or a bird
(gilded, adorned with feathers)
Cheese, apples, nuts,
sweet bread

10. The Brotherhood of
Blackheads
 St.George’s Night
Uprising
 1400
 1407
 1940
 15-16th century

13. Main Craft Guilds in Tallinn
St. Mary’s Guild – craftsmen of Toompea, 1407
St. Canutus’ Guild – mainly German master craftsmen (
tailors, goldsmiths, bakers, coiners, portrait painters
etc) 1326
The Guild of St. Olav’s – Estonians and other nonGerman craftsmen
(butchers, masons, carpenters, fishmongers, coachmen
) 1341
Incorporated into St Canutus Guild in 1698