Gold & Spices: The Rise of Commerce in the Middle Ages

by Jean Favier, Caroline Higgitt (Translator)

In Gold and Spices eminent medievalist Jean Favier introduces and analyzes the political, social, moral, and economic milieus of the late Middle Ages that engendered Europe's transformation from feudalism to capitalism. Favier presents striking portraits of the era's important and emerging centers of commerce such as London, Bruges, and Lbeck in the north, Genoa and Venice in the south, and Constantinople in the east and their various impacts at the dawn of Europe's slow march to its modern economic state are detailed. In indicating the extent of these cities' inter-dependence, he charts the many commercial land and sea routes that became the conduits of increased social and economic activity. But the book's central theme is the evolution of the medieval businessman. The merchant-entrepreneur is the hero of Gold and Spices and Favier examines the risks that led to the invention of new concepts, activities, relationships, organizations and communities. Among those risks were new markets, trade routes, forms of credit, means of production, and bold, new methods of speculation. Favier also reveals that the ultimate consequence of such actions was not merely the accumulation of wealth by such families as the Medici and the Fuggers, but the transposition of social and aesthetic values upon the populace, leading to the rise of the middle class. As a descriptive social history Gold and Spices excels at not only recreating the past but connecting it to the present. In several highly informative chapters Favier traces the development of currency, methods of payment, banking, accounting and the often tricky relationship between the homme des affaires and the Prince. He also clearly reveals the diversity of commerce at that time, and the fundamental adaptability needed by those who played a part in re-ordering the conditions of life.

Genres: History, Medieval, Economics

390 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 1987

About the author

Jean Favier was a French historian, who specialized in Medieval history. From 1975 to 1994, he was director of the French National Archives. From 1994 to 1997, he was president of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

He was a member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 4.5 stars for the erudition and deep, thoughtful scholarship....but it is painfully dull. I am not kidding about the dull bit either. In part this is because the translation is almost google-translator literal, but only in part. Written in a reflective, older, slower lecture style, the result is often mind numbing. Honestly, I have read more interesting tax code regulations (seriously).
Also, regrettably, it almost requires a medieval European history majors' worth of education to fully comprehend. Sadly, I possess this level of knowledge, but even I was thrown by casual references to obscure events I'd never read about (uncoordinated urban tax riots in one year, Baltic fishing customs, odd Catholic ordinances regarding mongering etc.). If you don't have the Kings of France memorized (between 1250-1500), you are in trouble.
Still, this is a majestic work at many levels. It is worth reading, but it is at a graduate student level.
Also, it's a beautiful example of Jungs' notion of synchronicity. This book was the inspiration and catalyst for the world famous " Spice and Wolf" novellas,( now an anime and apparently being made into a film). Spice and Wolf is enormously popular in Asia and has been an introduction to economic concepts and history for hundreds of millions of people. I suspect Favier would've been amazed and very pleased at his books' accidental fame.

[Cameron]

I feel bad. I wanted to read this book for so long. It sounds interesting to me Economics and Middle Ages stuff. The only important part of history: The money! But alas I'm too dumb for it. I skimmed the pages of most of it before just flipping to the chapters of importance (or particular interest).

It's probably good if i was forced to read it for an economics class at least i would properly finish it. I need something dumber. More simplified.

[Lynn Crisci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, and well-written. The is a history of capitalism, exploring how European culture evolved from agrarian barter to sophisticated commerce. The book explores the evolution of currency, banking, accounting and the interdependence of aristocracy and the merchant class. It’s history and nonfiction.

[Jos Deroo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent history of trade, commerce and banking in Western Europe during the 1300-1500. Not too dry but for the dedicated...

[harcourt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historians never make great economists. He's able to explain how commerce and capital physically functioned in the Middle Ages but he really never explains its significance. Maybe this is just me taking for granted that creditors exist, but his insights really don't go far beyond: credit permits for coordination, abundant credit helped make people richer.

I'll admit that this book does provide an extensive amount of insight on how commerce functioned. I definitely learned a thing or two. I just wish I learned a thing or two about why it was so important. The Annales school does this very well through emphasis on trends and long-term changes.

I mainly read this book because the creator of Spice and Wolf cited it as a main influence anyways. It's okay but there are better medievalists.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a link to a review I wrote of this book on Amazon.com

http://tinyurl.com/yrrryf

I bought this book to enable me to better understand the world of trade and commerce associated with Dorothy Dunnett's wonderful series 'The House of Niccolo'.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good study of commerce in the high and later Middle Ages. Some chapters were very good and easy to read, others seem to go on without saying much. However, I have a much deeper appreciation for the evolution of capitalism from reading this book.

[Lenka · Rating 3 out of 5]

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