In the half millennium of their existence, guilds in the Low Countries played a highly significant role in shaping the societies of which they were a part. One

"Guilds ruled many crafts and trades from the Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution, and have always attracted debate and controversy. They were sometimes vi

Includes instructions for making jewelry, stone carving designs, a peasant's hat, shoes, armor, pottery, etc. from available materials.

What was the role of merchant guilds in the medieval and early modern economy? Does their wide prevalence and long survival mean they were efficient institution