The merchants of York, Beverley and Hull in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries
This thesis examines three main aspects of the merchant class of York, Beverley, and Hull: their economic activities, political dominance and social and religious concerns. It argues that in each town, merchants played a significant role, and as their commercial fortunes were affected by endogenous factors, so was their position within each town. Chapter 1 gives a brief historical outline of each town's development, up to and including the period under study. Chapter 2 offers an overview of the fluctuating patterns of international trade, and of the changing fortunes of each town's investment in overseas trade. Within that context, chapter 4 focuses on individual merchant's business 'biographies', using them as a basis for a general discussion of the range and quality of the involvement of each town's merchant class in overseas trade. The second part of the chapter explores the evidence of capital accumulation by individuals, assessing the role of real estate, cash and credit in their enterprises. This analysis reveals the wide range in levels of commercial success to be found within the merchant class. Chapter 5 looks at the degree to which merchants dominated the government of each town, highlighting the
Kermode, Jennifer Isobel
Medieval English overseas trade
The merchants of York, Beverley and Hull in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. This thesis examines three main aspects of the merchant class of York, Beverley, and Hull: their economic activities, political dominance and social and religious concerns. It argues that in each town, merchants played a significant role, and as their commercial fortunes were affected by endogenous factors, so was their position within each town. Chapter 1 gives a brief historical outline of each town's development, up to and including the period under study. Chapter 2 offers an overview of the fluctuating patterns of international trade, and of the changing fortunes of each town's investment in overseas trade. Within that context, chapter 4 focuses on individual merchant's business 'biographies', using them as a basis for a general discussion of the range and quality of the involvement of each town's merchant class in overseas trade. The second part of the chapter explores the evidence of capital accumulation by individuals, assessing the role of real estate, cash and credit in their enterprises. This analysis reveals the wide range in levels of commercial success to be found within the merchant class. Chapter 5 looks at the degree to which merchants dominated the government of each town, highlighting the
merchant york hull examine three_main aspect merchant class york hull economic_activity political dominance social_religious concern argues town merchant play_significant_role commercial fortune affect endogenous factor position_within town give_brief historical outline town development include period study offer_overview fluctuate pattern international_trade change_fortune town investment overseas trade within_context focus individual merchant business use_basis general_discussion range quality involvement town merchant class overseas trade second_part explore evidence capital accumulation individual assess_role real estate cash credit enterprise analysis_reveals wide_range level commercial success find_within merchant class look degree merchant dominated government town highlight