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Guilds in the Middle Ages
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
182 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 15, 2023
Good overview of the medieval guilds, but without images, maps or timelines. The text is repetitious and contains numerous inaccuracies:
* "The police took up and imprisoned any idlers or vagabonds found wandering in the towns."
There was no police force in the middle ages, and probably some other force is meant, for example enforcers employed by some of the wealthier guild members.
* "Guild banquets easily degenerated into orgies and brawls." A generalization so demeaning, it's a falsehood.
* "The members of these powerful guilds amassed enormous fortunes, built themselves superb palaces, became counsellors and money-lenders to kings, towns, or popes."
Another generalization which is largely untrue. Jacques Cœur and his tragic end is a good counterexample, but is omitted from the book.
* The book is void of economics. For example by examining the price of works sold and contributions made by the masters it can be established how a guild fared financially.
* The Regensburg statutes are not mentioned and could have been copied verbatim as a good example of the reach of statutes, most notably because they were copied by guilds in many other cities.
* Three out of eight chapters are spent on the demise of the guilds, which perhaps is overdoing it. The final chapter is so full of value statements, that it would have been better to omit it.
Some outdated words are used, such as convoke instead of convene. Or arrogate instead of assign.
Available on Project Gutenberg.
* "The police took up and imprisoned any idlers or vagabonds found wandering in the towns."
There was no police force in the middle ages, and probably some other force is meant, for example enforcers employed by some of the wealthier guild members.
* "Guild banquets easily degenerated into orgies and brawls." A generalization so demeaning, it's a falsehood.
* "The members of these powerful guilds amassed enormous fortunes, built themselves superb palaces, became counsellors and money-lenders to kings, towns, or popes."
Another generalization which is largely untrue. Jacques Cœur and his tragic end is a good counterexample, but is omitted from the book.
* The book is void of economics. For example by examining the price of works sold and contributions made by the masters it can be established how a guild fared financially.
* The Regensburg statutes are not mentioned and could have been copied verbatim as a good example of the reach of statutes, most notably because they were copied by guilds in many other cities.
* Three out of eight chapters are spent on the demise of the guilds, which perhaps is overdoing it. The final chapter is so full of value statements, that it would have been better to omit it.
Some outdated words are used, such as convoke instead of convene. Or arrogate instead of assign.
Available on Project Gutenberg.
May 14, 2014
It was dry and written in a somewhat more formal language than I am comfortable with but the history of Guilds is very interesting and in this text seems to be presented without bias.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews