Champagne fairs at their medieval peak

1202

In the rolling country east of Paris, merchants from Flanders, Lombardy, and the Rhine met six times a year to trade wool, spices, and silver under the counts of Champagne's protection. The fairs functioned as medieval Europe's clearinghouse, their letters of exchange teaching bankers their trade. Provins, Troyes, Bar-sur-Aube, and Lagny each hosted its season, creating a continuous commercial calendar.