Original scientific paper
Guilds and Fraternities in Podravina in the Late Middle Ages and at Dawn of the New World
Dragutin Feletar
; Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb – Full Professor (retired)
Abstract
As last centuries of the Middle Ages moved to their end, the northwestern Croatia withessed emerging of a network of centraliyed settlements. These markets (oppidum) and towns (civitas) also provided functions and services in trades and crafts for a greater area. The heart of that area was the town of Varaždin. But other towns, like Koprivnica, Prelog, Čakovec and Legrad, had a great importance too, just as some smaller marketplaces like Ludbreg, Rasinja, Komarnica, Prodavić, Gorbonog, Đurđevac, Drnje etc, were important too. Craftsmen and artisans were the town’s most dynamic class, as they early had begun to organize and unite in guilds, in order to protect and keep their benefits and privileges. The earliest forms of this process were newly formed fraternities, in part organized by the church and citizens (craftsmen) too. Earliest fraternities had been formed in 15th century in Varaždin, and almost simultaneously in Koprivnica and Legrad too. Emerging of fraternities and town settlements in northern Croatia is tightly connected with decrees by the Croat - Hungarian kings, allowing yeomen and freemen from central Europe to settle freely on Croatian lands. Those new settlers were mostly artisans and craftsmen (hospites). In Podravina towns and marketplaces, craftsmen started forming and joining guilds in late 15th century (much later than in German towns). The oldest guilds here were started after 1480, in the towns of Varaždin, Čakovec, Legrad and Koprivnica. In the centuries to come, the very craft - guilds were dictating the economy and social life in towns and marketplaces of northwestern Croatia. The article describes in detail development, spatial disposition and importance of fraternities and guilds.
Keywords
guild; fraternities; guild regulations; centralism; craftsmen; artisans’ functions; marketplaces; towns
Hrčak ID:
79095
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2003.
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