ABSTRACT
Foreign populations in Flanders were largely rotating in the beginning as merchants accompanied their goods, but this was no longer the case by the early Burgundian period. Erik Thoen's summary of developments in southeastern Flanders has important implications for the rural economy. The grain staple of Ghent was beyond question the most important source of income for the city in the fifteenth century, cushioning the decline of its textile industry. The grain trade was the crucial point of linkage of the agrarian, urban and regional economies. Flemish agricultural techniques continued to progress. The English, Irish and Calaisiens got safe conduct in Flanders to deal with local and foreign merchants. The major items in Anglo-Flemish trade continued to be wool and smuggled English cloth. The Calais Ordinances caused a serious decline in the Flemish textile output, while prices rose sharply, although only on cloths made with English wools.
