Patterns of Power and Piety, 1100–1384
Paul Arblaster
As the poverty and chaos of tenth century gave way to increasing wealth security, trade expanded towns grew. A new type urban life developed which was more concentrated in Low Countries than anywhere else north Alps. This period saw rise counts, dukes bishops height their power as independent rulers separate principalities. These small countries began emerge break–up Carolingian Empire, were fully formed by end twelfth century. Although some these principalities joined personal unions, they each retained own laws, customs, tolls institutions until eighteenth The main sources revenue territorial princes feudal dues, judicial fines on trade. Their rested control farm land, woodland, jurisdictional rights, roads waterways. Seemingly paradoxically, growth went hand with gaining large measures internal self-government.