Genoese Merchant Guild Network

Timeline

1. 1100–1260Genoa · LiguriaThe Genoese commune granted charters to the merchant guilds; family firms organized voyages through partnership, developed maritime loans (comenda) and early forms of insurance, and extended trading posts toward Spain and North Africa.
2. 1291–1300Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea ports · Black SeaAt the end of the 13th century Genoese merchants maintained trading houses and warehouses at Caffa, Constantinople, and elsewhere; the guild network coordinated the trade in spices, slaves, and grain, competing directly with Venetian merchants.
3. 1298–1300Adriatic and Ligurian seas · MediterraneanDuring the naval wars and peace treaties of 1298–1300, Genoa's major merchant firms raised war funds and fleets within the guild framework; the postwar treaties redivided trading interests, and the guild network continued to dominate the city's diplomacy.