Change and Transformation of Premodern Credit Markets

This book explores the development of credit markets to mobilize large amounts of capital in the medieval and early modern period. The everyday financial dealings of craftsmen, farmers and townsmen actually represent the credit transactions of almost the entire historical population and are therefore of special importance. The studies presented in this book focus on the small-scale credit dealings in different regions (England, Wales, Tirol, Northern Italy, Germany, Low Countries). The contributions in the book discuss how the financial needs of the people involved, and the transformation of institutions during the Middle Ages and early modern period, affected access to capital markets and the practice of money lending.