1. Significance of the Medieval Town
Rise of the Middle Class
- New Class that never existed
- Merchants and Craftsmen (Do not fit the Three Class framework
Names for the middle class
- Burgher (Germany)
- Burgess (England)
- Bourgeoisie (France)

2. What is a Burg?
A burg is a town and a burger is a person that lives in a burg.
The Question of Wealth
- Craftsmen are well-to-do
- Merchants are rich
- live in mansions
- rival the wealth of the nobility

3. Medieval Towns are Self-governing
Political Independence
- First towns are built on the lands of feudal lords
- Controlled by lords
- Pay taxes to the lords
- Merchants want independence
- They are wealthy and resent - having to bow down to the lords

4. Charters
Merchants are clever politicians and go “all out” to gain political power
- Band together into guilds
- Raised money and bought their freedom (They paid for a charter that made them independent of the lords)
Charters were bought from the Lord who owned the land the town sat on or directly from the King

5. Town Governments Towns organized their own governments
Unlike the manor or village the town governs itself (a huge change!)
Executive, Councils and Committees
Citizens = Merchants or Craftsmen (10 to 50%)
Elections are by lot (put your name in a hat)

6. Kings and Towns Kings often grant charters directly. Why?
- Kings need money
- Towns help weaken the nobility
- Weakening nobility allows Kings to reestablish central control of the state

7. Political Power and the Town
Middle Class becomes so wealthy they rival the political power of the nobility
Nobles fail to grasp the concept of inflation
People, money and power flow to the towns
Populations in 1500 A.D.
London - 40,000
Paris - 150,000
Venice - 100,000