Growth of Trade in the Middle Ages
The growth of trade played the leading part in the economic progress of medieval cities. Trade had declined after the fall of the Roman Empire in the A.D. 400's. But Venice, an Italian city, traded with Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) throughout the Middle Ages.
In addition to Venice, several European cities played an important part in the economic revival. They included Genoa and Pisa in Italy, Bruges in Flanders, and the French cities of Nantes, Orleans, Paris, and Rouen. Other important trading centers were Antwerp in what is now Belgium, and Cologne, Hamburg, and Lubeck in what is now Germany. The Chinese cities of Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kaifeng, Beijing (also called Peking), and Suzhou (also spelled Su-chou) became leading Asian centers of trade.
Excerpt adapted from the "City" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999