Edward III forbids the export of raw wool to Flanders

1336

In retaliation for French interference in Flanders, Edward embargoed English wool exports, hoping to force Flemish weavers to relocate to England where they would process English fleece into finished cloth. The move backfired economically in the short term but showed how wool, the backbone of northern European cloth manufacturing, had become a geopolitical weapon. Flemish weavers eventually rebelled against their pro-French count.