Merchants Crafts

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Merchants were of two types – settled (permanent) and travelling (occasional). The settled traders had permanent shops in towns and villages, while travelling merchants only brought their wares to the markets.
Markets (held once a week) and fairs (held twice a year) also offered wares by local stallholders, visitors and pedlars or hawkers – street vendors without a fixed site. Stallholders had their permanent stalls on the square, merchants ran small shops and had the right to retail products purchased from craftsmen.
Village folk got their supplies from neighbouring craftspeople, in the local tavern or from a merchant who brought supplies from larger townships. At the markets, goods from the village would be exchanged for goods produced and available in the town. The terms of trade were set by the ruler, for example, only local merchants who had sworn to uphold city rights could sell their goods freely. Only the traders from large cities would venture abroad.
Many regulations and detailed rules governed trade. If it were found that a merchant was dishonest and, for example, gave short weight, he was severely punished.

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