The Carta Mercatoria, meaning 'the charter of the merchants', was a 1303

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...

granted by

Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 125 ...

to foreign merchants in England, in exchange for the foreign merchants paying a new tax on imports. It guaranteed them freedom to trade, protection under the law, and exemption from tolls on bridges, roads and cities. It also guaranteed no increase in the

duty A duty (from "due" meaning "that which is owing"; , past participle of ; , whence "debt") is a commitment or expectation to perform some action in general or if certain circumstances arise. A duty may arise from a system of ethics or morality, e ...

rates they paid. Additionally, the Carta Mercatoria gave foreigners (or 'aliens' in the parlance of the charter) the official right to be tried by a jury which was at least partially composed of other foreigners. The charter was revoked by Edward II, owing to complaints by English merchants. In practice however, foreign merchants retained most of their rights. In 1334, in exchange for financial assistance,

Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...

replaced the general grant of rights to foreign merchants with a particular charter granted to the

Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...

References

1300s in law 1303 in England 14th-century documents Legal documents Hanseatic League Treaties involving the Hanseatic League Economy of medieval England Medieval economic history Edward I of England {{Treaty-stub