Economic History

Discover how Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici built a banking empire that dominated European finance from the 15th century onwards.

The 14th century saw the rise and fall of medieval finance, with moneylenders like Bardi and Peruzzi dominating Italian commerce before facing defaults and collapse.

Explore the history of high-interest lending in Britain from ancient times to modern-day issues.

Explore the history of loan sharking in Glasgow's Hillington district through the life of Gerard Law, a notorious loan shark who preyed on vulnerable individuals with high-interest loans.

Explore the world of 16th century Venetian lending practices, where complex relationships between lenders, debtors, and law courts shaped credit markets and influenced social dynamics.

Explore the historical context of The Merchant of Venice, examining the economic role of Jewish moneylenders in 16th-century Venice and their relationships with Christian merchants.

Explore how cultural obstacles hindered the emergence of European banking in the late Middle Ages, despite significant economic and social changes.

Explore the history of money from metal to digital, where trust plays a crucial role in currency value.

Explore the evolution of fiat currency from ancient civilizations to modern-day manifestations, understanding its historical context, key figures and groups, mechanisms and processes, and deep background on systems and structures that have shaped its development.

Explore how the discovery of silver in the New World transformed global finance, creating a new currency and shaping European economies.

Explore how Roman coinage persisted after the empire fell, shaping European trade and commerce in the Middle Ages.

Potosí was a major mining center that fueled Spain's wealth but came at a great cost in terms of labor exploitation, demographic decline, and environmental degradation.

Explore how societies valued goods and services throughout history, from labour-based economies to the introduction of money as a medium of exchange.