This book is the first comprehensive account of the wool trade through the whole of the medieval period. Within England it is concerned with the production and marketing of wool and with the ways in which the wool trade influenced the economic and political fortunes of different sectors of society. It describes and analyses in detail each of the periods of growth and decline in the export market. As well as explaining changes in the volume of trade it offers the first attempt to portray the distribution of the trade among individual merchants. As the scene widens Mr. Lloyd explains how England's relations with other European powers were influenced by mutual interest in the state of the wool trade. Another major theme is the influence which the export of wool exerted on England's economy as a whole.

First published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, John Gillingham and Ralph A. Griffiths' Very Short Introduction to Medieval Britain covers the establishment of the Anglo-Norman monarchy in the early Middle Ages, through to England's failure to dominate the British Isles and France in the later Middle Ages. Out of the turbulence came stronger senses of identity in Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Yet this was an age, too, of growing definition of Englishness and of a distinctive English cultural tradition. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

This classic work by William Cunningham explores the economic history of England from the Roman occupation to the end of the Middle Ages. A must-read for anyone interested in medieval history or the development of the British economy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.