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Medieval Guilds
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Medieval England - Medieval Guilds
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England, period, life, age and times
Medieval Times Feudalism
Medieval Work and Occupations
Interesting Facts and information about Guilds
in the Medieval times of the Middle Ages
The reasons for Medieval Guilds
Merchant Guilds and Craft Medieval Guilds
Protection of Workers / Guild Members and
protection of Consumers
Medieval Guilds
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Medieval Guilds
Interesting history, facts and information about the life of the people
who lived in England during the Medieval times
Medieval Guilds
The Medieval Guilds were an important part of life in Medieval times. A higher social status could be
achieved through guild membership, and feudalism encouraged people to do this. There were many
advantages of becoming a member of a guild. Guild members in Medieval Times were supported by the
Guild if they became sick. There were two main kinds of Medieval guilds - Merchant Guilds and Craft
Guilds. A man would have to work through three phases to become an elite member of a Medieval Guild
during the Medieval times of the Middle Ages - apprentice, journeyman and master.
Medieval Craft Guilds
Medieval London Guilds
What were the Guilds?
What is the meaning of the word 'Guild'? The word “guild” is from the Saxon “gilden” meaning "to pay"
and refers to the subscription paid to the Guilds by their members. Other words associated with the term
guild include association, society, brotherhood, company, fellowship, fraternity and livery. The guilds of
the Middle Ages were licensed from 1170 and were similar to modern labor unions where the guilds set
standards for their professions and protected the interests of their members.
The Reasons why Medieval Guilds were established
The system of Feudalism during the Medieval times of the Middle Ages allowed the lords and owners of
the land to tax the towns people and their trades. As trade increased during the Medieval times of the
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Middle Ages the taxes became excessive. In Medieval England which was run to the feudal system it was
impossible for just one man to make objections to the rate and amount of tax that the lord demanded. The
idea of forming a Guild was born.
The Purpose of Guilds in the Medieval times of the Middle Ages
The Purpose of Guilds in the Medieval times of the Middle Ages was originally based on the protection of
the Guild members but consumers also benefited from the introduction of guilds. The purpose of the
guilds were therefore twofold:
Protection for workers - the members of the Guilds
Protection for consumers
Guilds in the Medieval times - Protection of Workers / Guild Members
The Guilds in Medieval times protected the workers, or the guild members as follows:
Members of Medieval Guilds received protection form excessive taxes imposed by the lords and land
owners
Competition between members was regulated by fixed pricing policies - advertising and price cutting
was banned
Illicit trading by non Merchant Guild members was banned
All members of guilds were obligated to retain all trade secrets
The number of Guild masters and members of guilds were restricted to ensure there was sufficient
business for each of the guilds
Sickness Protection
Protection for their members, goods and horses when travelling
Help with funeral expenses. Orphans of members of guilds were also cared for
Guilds funded the first non-religious schools of the Middle Ages
Working conditions and hours of work were regulated
Guilds in the Medieval times - Protection for Consumers
The Guilds of the Medieval times in Medieval Times also protected the consumers. The spin-offs from the
regulations of the guilds led to:
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Fair pricing policies - all prices were regulated by the guilds
Quality of goods or workmanship. Goods and services were inspected and members of guilds were
expected to undertake long apprenticeships
Medieval Guilds of the Middle Ages were also involved in civic duties. Guild members were expected to
help to protect the town or the city where the guild operated. These civic duties included providing a
militia for the town, policing the streets and constructing public buildings and walls to defend the town or
city. The guilds were also expected to maintain high moral values in the guilds - usury and fraud was
eliminated. Religion was an extremely important aspect of life during Medieval times and guilds were
expected to fund and to help in the construction of churches.
The Merchant Guilds of the Middle Ages
A Merchant Guild was an association of of traders. The Merchant Guild was able to negotiate with the
lord and the trade levy became regulated. The Merchant Guilds controlled the way in which trade was
conducted in the towns and cities and applied rules to the way in which trade was conducted during the
Medieval times and era. The members of the Merchant Guilds became very important members of the
Medieval town community of the Middle Ages. The introduction of the Merchant guilds in a town or city
lead to its own hierarchy and involvement in civic duties. The power of the Merchant Guild members
increased to such an extent that the livelihood of individual trades or crafts within a Medieval town, or
city, were being jeopardised. Merchant guilds tended to be wealthier and of higher social status than craft
guilds.
The Craft Guilds of the Middle Ages
The Merchant Guilds were imposing regulations on the individual traders or craftsmen to regulate prices
and supply. The individual crafts and trades established their own guilds. Medieval Guilds consisted of
Merchant Guilds and Craft Guilds.
Names of Medieval Guilds
A list of the names of Medieval London guilds provides an insight in the many jobs and occupations which
were available to the Medieval people of during the Medieval times and era. The section relating to the
Medieval London Guilds also details the function of the Guildhall and describes the Ceremonial Livery
and role of Women in the guilds of the Middle Ages.
Medieval Guilds
The Medieval Times website provides interesting facts, history and information about these great people
and important historical events which scatter the Medieval History books including Medieval Guilds. The
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Medieval Guilds
Medieval Times Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and facts about the fascinating
subject of the lives of the people who lived during the historical period of the Middle Ages. The content of
this article on Medieval life and times provides free educational details, facts and information for reference
and research for schools, colleges and homework for history courses and history coursework.
Medieval England - Medieval Guilds
Watch the History Channel DVDs for Medieval
England, period, life, age and times
Medieval Times Feudalism
Medieval Work and Occupations
Interesting Facts and information about Guilds in
the Medieval times of the Middle Ages
The reasons for Medieval Guilds
Merchant Guilds and Craft Medieval Guilds
Protection of Workers / Guild Members and
protection of Consumers
Medieval Guilds
Helpful information for history cour
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