The Low Countries' Export Trade in Textiles with the Mediterranean Basin, 1200–1600: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Comparative Advantages in Overland and Maritime Trade Routes
John H. Munro
This paper challenges the conventional wisdom in European economic history that long-distance maritime transport was always more cost-effective than overland trade routes. Thus majority of historians past century have attributed rapid decline medieval Champagne Fairs, governing textile trades between Low Countries, northern France, and Italy, to establishment an effective ‘permanent’ direct sea-route Italy north-west Europe from early 14th (though first, a Genoese galley, can be dated 1277). In my paper, I contend spreading stain chronic, continuous warfare throughout western Mediterranean basin 1290s, leading into Hundred Years’ War (1336-1453), with consequent sharp rise transaction costs international trade, instead major factor concomitant continental routes associated them, forced shift trading Europe. During this war-torn, plague-disrupted period contraction, up 1450s, shipping luxury woollens by route certainly cheaper routes; but relative cost still higher transporting cheap textiles (says) late 13th century. Indeed, steep late-medieval had north-western industries give export very cheap, light focus on could better ‘bear freight’. Subsequently, however, alternative, easterly areas free warfare, principally via Rhine, then restoration peace after end War, South German silver-copper mining boom, rapidly revived, them series newer continental-trade based fairs (Antwerp, Frankfurt, Geneva, Lyons). later 15th 16th centuries, these their fair-system were virtually sole mechanism which exported basin, because, inter alia, distance Antwerp Fairs Venice only about 20% often hazardous sea The principal involved overland, trans-continental : luxury-quality English woollens, medium-quality kerseys, especially Flemish says revived sayetteries, become industry southern Countries. concludes examining various factors forces led fall trades, routes, including river 17th centuries (i.e. eve Thirty Years again seriously disrupted routes).
The International Journal of Maritime History|Munich Personal RePEc Archive (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich)|RePEc: Research Papers in Economics