Bulletin of the Departments of History and Political and Economic Science, No. 17. Kingston, Ontario: Queen’s University (1915)
Summary: F. B. Millett examines the organisation and activities of medieval Parisian craft guilds, drawing primarily on the Livre des Métiers, a collection of regulations for 101 trades compiled under Étienne Boileau during the reign of Louis IX. The study explores how guilds regulated apprenticeship, working conditions, wages, production standards and entry into trades, while also examining the relationships between apprentices, journeymen and masters. Millett highlights the important role of guild officials in enforcing regulations, the influence of royal authority and the Church, and the participation of women in certain trades. Guilds also provided religious and charitable support through confraternities, assisting members facing poverty, illness or old age. Although these organisations helped protect workers and maintain standards, Millett argues that lengthy apprenticeships, restrictive practices and excessive regulation could also limit economic opportunity and innovation. Overall, the study offers a detailed picture of the working lives of artisans and the economic organisation of Paris in the thirteenth century.
Craft-Gilds of the Thirteenth Century in Paris
By Fred Benjamin Millett
Bulletin of the Departments of History and Political and Economic Science, No. 17. Kingston, Ontario: Queen’s University (1915)
Summary: F. B. Millett examines the organisation and activities of medieval Parisian craft guilds, drawing primarily on the Livre des Métiers, a collection of regulations for 101 trades compiled under Étienne Boileau during the reign of Louis IX. The study explores how guilds regulated apprenticeship, working conditions, wages, production standards and entry into trades, while also examining the relationships between apprentices, journeymen and masters. Millett highlights the important role of guild officials in enforcing regulations, the influence of royal authority and the Church, and the participation of women in certain trades. Guilds also provided religious and charitable support through confraternities, assisting members facing poverty, illness or old age. Although these organisations helped protect workers and maintain standards, Millett argues that lengthy apprenticeships, restrictive practices and excessive regulation could also limit economic opportunity and innovation. Overall, the study offers a detailed picture of the working lives of artisans and the economic organisation of Paris in the thirteenth century.
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Top Image: Paris depicted in a medieval manuscript – Bibliothèque nationale de France MS Français 2090
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