Middle Ages Economy

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or were abandoned entirely. The decreased agricultural output could no longer support

the same level of economic activity and, as early as the middle of the thirteenth century, the

economy was beginning to weaken. By early in the fourteenth century and continuing well into

that century, a declining population, shrinking markets, a decrease in arable land and a general

mood of pessimism were evidence of deteriorating economic conditions. This trend was far from

universal and it was certainly less severe in northern Italy. Also, north of the Alps, some

communities quickly rebounded and thrived on their commercial and manufacturing ventures.

Coventry, England, for example, flourished with its woolen cloth industry while Bruges, in

modern-day Belgium, was one of the major commercial centers of the North. In the early

fourteenth century, Florence's textile industry and banking catapulted the city-state into the

forefront of European enterprise and, eventually, into ...

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