terruptions of trade by the English king to pressure the count to make promised
payments. A serious break between England and Flanders occurred in 1304, when
Edward I agreed to help Philip IV in his war against Flanders. The response of the
Flemings was to give aid to Scotland, then at war with England. This resulted in the
devising of a method to prevent the Flemish merchants from direct access to English
wool. A compulsory staple (exclusive market for English wool) came into being in 1313.
A cross-Channel town was designated in which all wool shipped from England to the
Low Countries had to be marketed. The staple was variously at Saint-Omer in Artois and
Antwerp in Brabant, being located in Flanders at Bruges only in 1325. The sharp decline
in the role of Flemish merchants in its wool trade with England did not result from the
staple. Edward II was generous in his exceptions, even giving a license to all merchants
of Ypres to buy wool in England. The decline that began with the conflict that occurred
from 1270 to 1275 grew sharper when the Flemings lost their contacts with English
monastic houses and conditions in England became unsettled. Into their places stepped
the Italians, the English, and members of the Hanseatic League. Despite their declining
role, Flemings still traded in England, but in far fewer numbers. It was also true that for
much of the 14th century Flemish ship owners still carried the bulk of the wool exported
from England. Though Flanders had the dominant role, it was not the only French region
from which merchants came. Picardy sent frequent buyers to England. The merchants of
the southern city of Cahors had a particularly large share in shipping wool from the major
eastern ports of England and importing wool for the clothiers of Toulouse. In addition,
the source of wool for France changed by the 15th century. Far fewer sacks of raw wool
came from England as the English developed their own cloth for export; Germany and,
most importantly for Flanders, Spain, replaced England as suppliers.
Robert L.Baker
[See also: TEXTILES; TRADE ROUTES]
Carus-Wilson, Eleanora. Medieval Merchant Venturers: Collected Studies. London: Methuen,
1954.
Endrei, Walter. “Changements dans la productivité lainière au moyen âge.” Annales: Économies,
Sociétés, Civilisations 26 (1971):1291–99.
Espinas, Georges La draperie dans la Flandre française au moyen âge. 2 vols. Paris: Picard, 1923.
Poerck, Guy de. La draperie médiévale en Flandre et en Artois, 3 vols. Bruges: De Tempel, 1951.
The Encyclopedia 1869