Champagne Fairs

Timeline

1. 1152–1181Count's court at Troyes · ChampagneHenry I placed foreign merchants in transit under the count's protection through charters and safe-conduct passes, unified taxation, and banned private tolls along the route, so that scattered markets began to operate under the lord's laws.
2. c. 1160–1190Four towns of Champagne · ChampagneTroyes' Cold and Hot fairs, Provins' St. Cyriacus and St. Ayoul fairs, Bar's spring fair, and Lagny's winter fair formed an annual cycle, allowing northern and southern merchants to attend fairs in succession according to the calendar.
3. c. 1170–1200Provins · ChampagneFlemish cloth merchants and Italian spice and silk merchants met at the fairs; notaries and money changers handled deferred settlement, and bills of exchange and fair-debt practices thereby spread to wider trade routes.
4. c. 1200–1320County of Champagne · ChampagneIn the 13th century fair law and the merchant-protection model were imitated by other royal powers, but after direct sea routes and the French crown's annexation of Champagne, the international clearing center gradually shifted west to Bruges and elsewhere.