About us
Welcome to the Merchant Guild
We are a group of reenactors in the Danish medieval community who mediate trade in the Middle Ages with an ambition to be a resource for the Danish medieval community.
We work with 3 focus areas; Dissemination, Bazaar and Trade.
Dissemination
Our main area and the driving force behind our long-standing involvement in the medieval community is the passion and interest in the Middle Ages as a historical period.
We do not deal with other time periods, but focus exclusively on the Middle Ages. More specifically, we communicate and tell about topics such as trade in Denmark and Europe, Trade routes, International trade, Local and foreign currency and currency in the Middle Ages, Trading towns, Hanseatic cities, Merchant and craftsman guilds, as well as the plague and its impact on the economy, prosperity and trade.
Bazaar
The bazaar is what we call our second-hand/barter exchange. The idea comes from the bazaar that the Bormholms medieval center's circle of friends holds annually at the Bornholms medieval festival. The idea is that participants can sell clothes, eating utensils, shoes, crafts and small projects that do not fit in their own stalls, from a central bazaar and at the same time get a good deal if they find something they are looking for. We have enjoyed Bornholm's bazaar a lot and love the idea so much that we would like to take it to other markets around Denmark.
The bazaar's goods are typically not of interest to the guests, so our starting point is to offer a service for actors in the environment. By medieval people, for medieval people.
Our Bazaar is an integrated part of our webshop and market stall, so we can reach many more than just guests at the individual markets we visit.
Trade
We support our communication and activities by actually also having a stall with things that guests and reenactors can buy. Our focus here is also on the authentic and historical. We do not sell plastic, painted wooden toys or other gags that belong at flea markets. We must be able to talk about each object we sell in a context that is relevant to the Middle Ages.
The product range we carry is based on everyday items for medieval players and we try to find niches that are not already widespread in the community. In this way, we try to create a generally broader selection in markets.
We operate under a code of ethics that is based somewhat on the medieval merchant guilds, where undercutting and distortion were avoided, while at the same time taking care of the guild members. For us, this means, among other things, that we remove goods from our market stall or raise the price if several other stalls have similar goods. We would rather earn less than undercut our colleagues.
Who are we then?
The initiative for the trade guild with the 3 focus areas was taken by Martin Franck, a medieval activist since 2006. Here came the idea of creating and communicating things that the community could benefit from. Not just another stall at markets, but a group that can benefit the many volunteers and the passion that is put into the medieval community.
Together with the Woolen Maidens, Anne-Therese and Ane-Sophie, and the Saltyderen's children, Emma and Nicolai, we form the cozy and safe community behind the Kronen Trade Guild.
The photo was taken by Kai Brown at Bornholm's medieval meeting 2021, the same week that the idea for the Trade Guild came about.