ABSTRACT
The term “guild” requires careful definition because it has been used loosely in the literature. Guilds can be defined as associations of individuals formed for a common purpose, using a subscription model of membership (Hunt and Murray 1999: 34–5). Guilds may be differentiated by their primary function: religious observance, social interaction, or trade promotion. Many guilds had more than one function, for example combining social interaction with trade promotion. This chapter focuses on guilds whose primary function was trade promotion, but whose activities also encompassed social interaction and religious devotion. Trade promotion was split between merchants and artisans. Members of merchant guilds were usually involved in the sourcing, creation, or distribution of exports and the distribution of imports. Members of artisan guilds were generally focused on the creation of exports and of items for the domestic market.
