Life of a merchants in the Middle Ages?

Answer 1

Since the merchants and their families were wealthy they ate like the nobles alot of meat cheeses breads and sweetbreads. They were usually very large because of their diets but it was the fashion that the bigger the better of you where.

Answer 2

One would expect the Middle Ages to have been a simple time, with few truly distinctive occupations, save the lord of the manor, his knights, his household, and the peasants. But, the complexity of the medieval working world is startling. Yes, the above are typical occupations of the age, but within these broad classifications we can define an incredible array of other occupations. True, medieval jobs were not all fulfilling or stepping stones to success and status, as we envision the knight's position in the lord's court. However, each occupation filled a crucial place in the social system of the Middle Ages, ensuring virtually every imaginable need could be handled by an individual with the proper training or know-how. Basically, society was divided between two classes, positions of status and positions that were not. Nevertheless, while the lord and members of his entourage had status, they could not survive without the support, albeit drawn through oppression, of the peasants. Medieval society was like a jigsaw puzzle. Each segment was an integral piece of the complete system. Without any one part, the system could not work. As villages developed alongside the castle, occupations began to differentiate during the Middle Ages. Indeed, the growth of many towns directly resulted from the introduction of commercial endeavors, which were necessary to sustain the castle or the manor, as well as the local populace. A merchant class quickly developed once feudalism was established in Europe. These merchants became wealthy in their own right, owning grand homes of their own comparable to the best in the land. They transported the products of craftsmen, laborers, and skilled workers across the nation, and internationally as well, furthering trade and acting as envoys between the regions they served. In existence as early as the reign of Charlemagne and used by the Anglo-Saxons, the guild was of primary importance during the Middle Ages. Initially a rudimentary plan designed to support a certain group of workers (each village originally had one or two guilds), the guild system rapidly expanded throughout Europe. In essence, these organizations were prototypes of modern trade unions and functioned in an almost identical manner. Their main intention was "to promote economic welfare of its members and guarantee full employment at high wages by restricting membership (Bishop)." Virtually every medieval occupation had its own guild, including bell ringers, minstrels, candle makers, grocers and weavers.

Answer 3

There were always merchants in the Middle Ages. The bought and sold goods and had them transported among markets. As time went by, they began to acquire wealth. They formed guilds of merchants, and the guilds sometimes combined forces and took over the governments of towns and cities, making them republican in nature, a form referred to as a medieval commune (the connotation being more like that of commonwealth). In time, great networks of guild cities formed alliances, such as the Hanseatic League, which was as powerful as many nations. This process was called the rise of mercantilism, and was instrumental in improving medieval society.

Answer 4

stuff like wool and fabric and sheep and clothes according to my friend

Answer 5

The important thing that merchants did in medieval times were that they traveled to (buy, sell or exchange for goods silk or spices etc...)

Answer 6

They traded with different cities and villages, and sold cloths and other material.