🌐 As part of our research project on multilevel governance in medieval and early modern commercial cities, Maurits den Hollander and I are expanding our website with a series of short vignettes on the legal histories of key trading hubs. In each of these introductions we explore the organisation of urban governance in relation to the economy of the city (including recommendations for further research).

✨ Now we turned the spotlight to Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland. Between roughly 1350 and 1420, the city experienced its ‘Golden Age’, largely driven by the thriving Rhine wine trade. 🍷 While Dordrecht held considerable market power, its influence was further strengthened through formal staple rights – making it a fascinating case study in the intersection between (multilevel) governance, law, and economics.

👉 Check out the new page about Dordrecht!

Author: dr. Marco in ‘t Veld