Bruges Wool Market (1340s)

Timeline

1. 1341–1345Bruges · BrugesBruges' port and inland canals concentrated raw English wool arriving via Calais, Scottish wool, and locally and regionally produced fine cloth for trade; Italian and German merchants established counting houses here, forming a cross-border exchange and wholesale network.
2. 1342–1346Flanders · FlandersThe 1342 Flemish anti-French uprising and Anglo-French fighting toward Calais exposed Bruges merchants to blockades, tighter credit, and pressure to take political sides, yet despite fluctuating volumes the city maintained its status as Europe's wool hub.
3. 1348–1350Bruges · BrugesThe 1348 Black Death devastated Bruges' population and textile labor force, causing violent swings in wool demand and prices; some Italian banking branches contracted, and early signs appeared of the market slowly shifting to emerging ports such as Antwerp.