Trading Story, April-June Anno Domini 1444
Genoese traders, such as Marcello di Farsaneto, had been waiting for the moment when he arrived to the city of Baden-Baden. The magnificent quiet site was not what he was expecting. His first trip from Genoa to Germany, he was one of the first traders who reached Baden with Eastern goods brought from Krech. The caravan which set off from Genoa, around the alps, crossing Piemonte, Provencial and Burgundian territories finnaly arrived to Baden. That was a easy journey, thinking of the fact that through the Alps caravans could get lost, and the high taxes set of the merchants who pass through them.
As he reached to Baden-Baden, he separated from the caravan which continued a bit north to other Badenese cities, where the goods like wine were more fresh. Marcello di Farsaneto has set his stand in the marketplace where many people from noble to humbile saw what was there to buy. While the humbile and the simple people bought foods, drinks and common products, they still looked at Marcello's products with interest. He was not the only man with Eastern goods, but it wasn't the kind of products he sold, but the amount of merchants, also Genoese, selling other rare goods. Suddenly, in a few months, the quiet towns of Baden became overwhelmed by the variety of goods that those Italian merchants presented them. Many of the Badenese populations were beggining to buy those products who had an exquisit quality and what's more, a good price for them, that was never seen. It was like suddenly there was an industry of those things in Europe where those goods were created just around the corner. And the best thing was that the merchants bought what was most abundant in the zone: Fine wine, salts, furniture, and strong timber.
Marcello sold his products not only to Badenese merchants, but also Wurzburgian merchants also, which probably were atracted by the low prices Genoa and Baden proposed them. What made it best was that the Wurzburgians brought another kind of products, especially different kind of wine. Let alone the fact that they have the access to Bavarian products that were brought indirectly through the Wurzburgians. As the day ended, Marcello sold most of his products from the East. He was also able to buy Wurzburgian and Badenese wine and furniture, which would be sold with the large demand of the Holy land and Krech.
He passed through Genoa, which will be told later, and set sail to Kerch.
The three week journey was exausting. Marcello di Farsaneto had rent a place to sleep, and took a rest through the night. Krech was much different then Baden. Not only because of the merchandize sold in Krech, but everything. The climate was drier, the landscape looked more desertlike, and even at night the trading city was still active. Even if Marcello loved activeness and action, since it was the sign of more clients, he was so exausted he woke up in noon of the next morning. He still saw his donkey which he brought everywhere. He called him "Bucefallo", after the horse of Alexander the great. Not because of his strength, but because he was as loyal to him even more then a horse would be to his master. Let alone he does have 2 horses which he always brings with him, with the cart to transport large things such as the furniture and barils of wine. And so, he took Bucefallo to a walk around the city, and searched for the market place after feeding him. An hour after searching in the large city, he found it, filled with merchants from all over the world. But he was here before, and already knew how to trade with so much competition. He found a spot, and put his things to sell. He set his stand, unload his cart which transported the large furniture as well as the wine, and salt which had some demands in the black sea region at the moment.
Marcewllo knew Krech well. He had connections, but not as much as he had before the war and the treaty of 1442, but still knew somewhat the city. It was lately when trade relations were revived by the Doge Antonio di Merchanno, when he restarted his trading voyages. He loved the job. Maybe he didn't see much his family in Genoa that much, but when he would get back at home with rare products to show to his children, they would get very happy. And afterall, with the project of revival of trade of Genoa, he made much profit from it. He was a case of many merchants in Genoa, which represent a class which lives in the city and are neither wealthy as the nobles, nor poor as the extremely humbile. They were around the middle. People called it 'middle class'. But back to the story:
His sells were not as successfull as the Genoese merchant who got lucky and had an excellent and spacefull spot to sell his things and present them with a certain estetical way. But still Marcello had a good sale. As Marcello was promoting his Badenese wine which clients would get a taste from it, what seemed like a Venetian merchant appeared trying to sell his own goods, and buy something interesting from the market which he went around. Marcello spoke:
"Interested in something, sir?"
He took a long breath, and saw the things with much dedication. After having a thought, he spoke:
"I will take this piece of furniture, and 2 barrils of Wurzburgian red wine for two and a half ducats."
"Hold on, sir. This piece of furniture is crafted by one of the best carpinters in Baden, and made by one of it's strongest timber. And the wine from Wurzburg are one of the best in Germany and people say the world. I say that I am generous, for you seem like a good man. I say my offer is 6 Ducats."
The Venetian put a more serious face, but Marcello saw he was interested in this:
"I propose... 3 Ducats, and these to medium sized sacks of spices."
"How about 4 Ducats, and instead of the sacks of Spices, you will give me that small box of tea you got there, and that set of china beside it."
"3 and a half, and the rest of the articles you pointed. That's my final offer."
"Done."
Marcello and the Venetian shook hands, and exchanged their products. Marcelo got lucky, for Venetian merchants are fierce in their profession.
The days have passed in Krech, as Marcello did more sales of his German and Genoese articles, and sometimes he would sell Ivory he brought from the holy lands as southern products. Some days he would have a stand, and some other days he would just move around the market, hearing the latest gossop, which mainly was about the news about the war between the Christians lead by Lithuania, and the Muslims lead by the Golden Horde. Regardless, after some more days, he was set to go to the Holy land. He had around 12 Ducats to spend on African goods there, which were at the cost of full taxes, and were expensive. But with the so much clients in Europe, what did he had to loose?
The Holy land were property of the Christian King of Aragon. It was the only place where Genoa could buy merchandize like Ivory, African Spices, and Eastern Mediterranean goods such as Arab Horses, flexible Lebanese timber, which was excellent for bows and other goods made in Europe, and other.
He arrived to Yaffa after a sail on 1 week. The arid mediterranean climate was no longer bothering him, and was ready to start trading his goods. He heared that an excellent place to trade the goods were the city of Acre, built by the crusaders as a fortress. With it's beauty, came a great amount of wealth, for it became the center of trade of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the holy land. Marcello, always interested in culture and historical monuments, first payed a visit to Jerusalem. However, not knowing if it was in Muslim or Christian territories, he did not buy anything for it would be the violation of the treaty Genoa signed in 1442. So he just payed a visit to the holy places, such as the Holy Church of the Holy Sepulcher. He also admired the sight of the Dome of the Rock, which watched over the city. After admiring the holy city, he set off to Acre, for buisness.
He sold his furniture and strong German timber like fresh bread. Although the Salt demand became almost dead. Wine purchase was average, but still generated profit. With his new ammount of capital, he set off to buy the merchandize that he was eager to buy. He bought Lebanese timber, African ivory, and he was lucky to buy something new, Salt from the Dead Sea. Sometimes Salt would christalize into chunks of salt which were found floating on the sea itself. Marcello managed to buy enougth to sell in in the German lands.
He left for Genoa a few days later. He felt he did good profit, and was now going home. Since the ship stops in Venice, he took the chance to buy glass products which Venice was famous for. He also got to see the Merchant guild, where he met a Genoese, Luchinus Guarco, the embassador of Genoa in Venice. And so, he set again for sail to the center of the trading cicle that was told in this story all along: Genoa.
Marcello di Farsaneto was back home with his family. He was greeted by a loving daughter which hugged her father as he entered his home. His wife greeted him with a hug too, for he was away for a whole month and a half.
He told her about the trading journey he had, the merchandize he found, the news he heared, and the wonders he saw. He was happy to have such an active and interesting life, even if he is a common clishé of the merchant populace. He told his wife about the huge ammount of wealth he accumulated from all of this: 13 Ducats. Hearing this, her eyes opened. She smiled, and saw the coins which he presented them in his hands.
"Now we will have enougth to buy that house with that small terrain you wanted outside the city. While I am away with my trading journeys, you could take care of our little farm. We will have such a beautiful life now that the world opened before our arms..." And so he went to sleep. After he bought the property house and small terrain, he set off again with his Donkey Bucefallo, his cart and two horses to Genoa before he would part. He wanted to sell some of his products in the active Genoese merchants.
Genoa itself was extremely active, and extremely breautifull. The two main buildings, the cathedral and the Palazzo Ducale, dominated the city skies. And he was going to the most active place of the city apart from the city port, the market. There he could find products from all over the world. In the last few months, the city was transformed from a degradating poor city, to a prospering Merchantile Republic. Although much work was to be done, there were clear signs that Genoa was recovering from the last years of economic collapse and stagnation. However, now it is changing. He could see Venetian, Roman (Papal States), Piemontese, Badenese and Aragonese merchants buying the low price and quality products Genoa had to offer.
Since the days of Tommaso the Inept, things have been changing. For once, a sight of ship building in the dock, the already told variety of goods and merchants, the activeness of the economy, and even the city looked more shining and clean. It seemed more... Organized, atractive. Marcello himself participated in the Ghibeline revolt a few months ago, and he was proud to see from the mountains before he restarted his trading cicle the city of Genoa, being a center for at least hundreds of merchants, having such an active, profitable and adventurous life like he has now. An he knew that the city was regenerating his lost glory, and that he was one of the many who saved it from the misery the last 2 years brought him and the ones arround him. He took a glass, filled it with Badenese wine, and raise it infront of the sight of the city. He shouted:
"Hurrah to Doge Antonio di Merchanno, saviour of Genoa!" And so the Caravan joined him screaming
"Hurrah!" And so, he drank up the Badenese wine, and set again with a caravan to Baden, restarting his journey of trade and profit.
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