Medieval Trade in the Mediterranean World

by Robert Sabatino Lopez, Irving W. Raymond

This collection of merchant documents is essential reading for any student of economic developments in the Middle Ages who wishes to go beyond the level of textbook summaries. Different aspects of economic life in the Mediterranean world are delineated in the light of a rich variety of articles and other contemporary writings, drawn from Muslim and Christian sources. From commercial contracts, promissory notes, and judicial acts to working manuals of practical geography and philology, this volume of documents provides an unparalleled portrait of the world of medieval commerce.

Genres: Medieval, History

458 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 1990

About the author

Italian born historian who emigrated to the United States in 1939. His work focused on issues of trade and commerce in the middle ages.

Reviews

[Christopher Fuchs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a large collection of merchant letters that provide a first-hand and very interesting look at the competition between the Western Empire, Byzantine Empire, and the Caliphate. It details the disappearance of gold in the West (relative to the East) as well as information on customs houses, taxes, goods exchange, shares in shipping, medieval wills, cyclical trade, scarcity of goods and money, shipwreck laws, land and property values, and lots of details on the Silk Road. Many interesting insights, such as why it was safer to move goods and people via sea (or river) rather than by land, make this a book of gems for students, researchers, and writers.