The Medieval City: City Air Makes One Free The Culture of Cities Monday, February 27/2006 SOSC 2730.

The Medieval City:The Medieval City:City Air Makes One FreeCity Air Makes One Free

The Culture of CitiesThe Culture of Cities

Monday, February 27/2006Monday, February 27/2006

SOSC 2730SOSC 2730

Selected CivilizationsSelected Civilizations

Troyes, FranceTroyes, France

A Medieval Trade CentreA Medieval Trade Centre

Count Henri I Count Henri I “Le Liberal” “Le Liberal” (1152-81)(1152-81)

• major construction work was undertakenmajor construction work was undertaken– enlarging the ramparts, new canals, a new palaceenlarging the ramparts, new canals, a new palace

• new churches builtnew churches built– Sainte Madeleine, Saint Nicolas, Saint PantaléonSainte Madeleine, Saint Nicolas, Saint Pantaléon

• new gates welcomed European merchantsnew gates welcomed European merchants• the Count and the Countess Marie encouraged a new artistic the Count and the Countess Marie encouraged a new artistic

trendtrend– Chrestien de Troyes and other scholars, artists, theologians Chrestien de Troyes and other scholars, artists, theologians

were received at their Courtwere received at their Court• Marie became Regent for 13 years, until her death (1181-98)Marie became Regent for 13 years, until her death (1181-98)• 1190, first council of Troyes was created, managed by 1190, first council of Troyes was created, managed by

“bourgeois”“bourgeois” and a mayor and a mayor

Florence, ItalyFlorence, Italy

Economic ConsolidationEconomic Consolidation

MetropolitanismMetropolitanism

• urban economic dominanceurban economic dominance–NSB GrasNSB Gras• tradetrade

• local, long-distancelocal, long-distance

•manufacturingmanufacturing

• financefinance


• Florence had rapidly become Florence had rapidly become one of the foremost cities of one of the foremost cities of EuropeEurope

• Florence1250 a second-tier Florence1250 a second-tier city rapidly on the risecity rapidly on the rise


• bustling with a large immigrant bustling with a large immigrant populationpopulation

• new moneynew money• extensive new constructionextensive new construction• growing wealthgrowing wealth• expanding suburbsexpanding suburbs


• surpassing its rivalssurpassing its rivals–Pisa, Arezzo, Siena, LuccaPisa, Arezzo, Siena, Lucca

• economic & political prominenceeconomic & political prominence• 1300 population 100,0001300 population 100,000• only Paris was more populatedonly Paris was more populated• pace of demographic & pace of demographic &

economic growth was startlingeconomic growth was startling


• 1200 Florence had controlled 1200 Florence had controlled little of its immediate little of its immediate countryside (countryside (contadocontado))

• in 50 years 1250-1300 this in 50 years 1250-1300 this changedchanged

• banking companiesbanking companies


• by 1328 a series of political by 1328 a series of political reformsreforms– a more stable institutional a more stable institutional

structure created structure created

• the ruling elite that now the ruling elite that now governed the Commune was governed the Commune was steadier than beforesteadier than before


• by the 1320s Florence had by the 1320s Florence had become a centre for the become a centre for the manufacture of fine luxury manufacture of fine luxury textilestextiles

• a regime and civic culture bent a regime and civic culture bent on territorial expansionon territorial expansion


• population swelledpopulation swelled– newcomers from the countryside newcomers from the countryside

seeking employment in the large seeking employment in the large industrial enterprisesindustrial enterprises

• the streets seemed full ofthe streets seemed full of– poor, homeless, seasonally employedpoor, homeless, seasonally employed

• 10% of the population was destitute 10% of the population was destitute in the midst of this growing in the midst of this growing prosperityprosperity


• Florentine cultureFlorentine culture• a paradox embedded in the a paradox embedded in the

religious environment of the cityreligious environment of the city– pride in a prosperous Florence as pride in a prosperous Florence as

a chosen city of Goda chosen city of God– disdain for the vices of greed & disdain for the vices of greed &

arrogance that had helped arrogance that had helped transform it so rapidlytransform it so rapidly


• city divided betweencity divided between– rich & poor, insiders & outsidersrich & poor, insiders & outsiders


• how did this city — which in how did this city — which in 1250 had scarcely expanded 1250 had scarcely expanded beyond the limits of the Roman beyond the limits of the Roman walls—rapidly become by 1330 walls—rapidly become by 1330 one of the most affluent, one of the most affluent, culturally dynamic, and culturally dynamic, and politically powerful cities on the politically powerful cities on the continent?continent?


• its ability to dominate lesser cities its ability to dominate lesser cities militarilymilitarily– its success at compelling Pisa to grant its success at compelling Pisa to grant

freedom of commerce into and out of its freedom of commerce into and out of its port (after 1254)port (after 1254)

• its close connections to the Roman its close connections to the Roman papacypapacy

• its successful pursuit of a policy of its successful pursuit of a policy of “urban colonialism” “urban colonialism”


• its control of credit and capital its control of credit and capital flows that forced other flows that forced other communes into economic communes into economic dependencedependence


• two things developed in Florence two things developed in Florence & nowhere else in Tuscany& nowhere else in Tuscany– an advanced export-oriented textile an advanced export-oriented textile

industryindustry– highly productive and efficient highly productive and efficient

agricultural sectoragricultural sector


• Florentine gold coin the Florentine gold coin the florinflorin– preferred currency of international tradepreferred currency of international trade

• as a resultas a result– Florence controlled more of its Florence controlled more of its

surrounding territory than did Genoa or surrounding territory than did Genoa or VeniceVenice• supplies of raw materials & laboursupplies of raw materials & labour


• Florentine merchants were Florentine merchants were apparently more prudent in their apparently more prudent in their investments than were their investments than were their counterpartscounterparts– tended to counterbalance their tended to counterbalance their

riskier ventures with substantial riskier ventures with substantial expenditures in landexpenditures in land


• Florentine Church, as an institution, Florentine Church, as an institution, had a role in this rapid and stunning had a role in this rapid and stunning transformationtransformation

• 1250-1330 ecclesiastical institutions, 1250-1330 ecclesiastical institutions, personnelpersonnel– promoted and facilitated the rapid promoted and facilitated the rapid

ascent of Florence to a position of ascent of Florence to a position of continental prominence & influencecontinental prominence & influence


• social and economic support to social and economic support to those who had been adversely those who had been adversely affected by the transformation, affected by the transformation, those excluded from the those excluded from the prosperity associated with itprosperity associated with it


• significantly contributed to and significantly contributed to and benefited from the development benefited from the development of the regionof the region– food production, charity, shelter food production, charity, shelter

for the poor, the marginal, for the poor, the marginal, – urban developmenturban development

The The Black DeathBlack Death(Bubonic Plague)(Bubonic Plague)

1346-511346-51

one third of the one third of the population dies population dies

in a five year in a five year periodperiod

Social InstabilitySocial Instability

ConsequencesConsequences

• labour shortageslabour shortages–beakdown of feudalismbeakdown of feudalism

• beginnings of Western beginnings of Western capitalismcapitalism–accumulation of wealthaccumulation of wealth

• weakening of the Churchweakening of the Church• the role of cities strengthenedthe role of cities strengthened

The Medieval City: City Air Makes One Free The Culture of Cities Monday, February 27/2006 SOSC 2730.

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