Drapery in Exile:EdwardIII,Colchester and theFlemings, 1351–1367

Abstract

Throughout the fourteenth century, Edward III issued several letters of protection encouraging Flemish textile workers to establish their trade in England. During the centuries that followed, historians have disagreed about the newcomers' contribution to the development of English drapery. Lacking in each debate were quantifiable data related to the presence of Flemish cloth-workers on English soil. This article argues that, between 1351 and 1367, over 100 immigrants from the Low Countries settled in Colchester, twentyseven of whom were Flemish textile manufacturers exiled from Flanders and welcomed by Edward III in 1351. Attracted by excellent natural conditions for clothmaking, a shortage of manpower following the Black Death and an open economic environment, they made a vital contribution to the town's development as an internationally renowned centre of textile production that was able to withstand the pattern of urban decay so prevalent in other parts of late medieval England.

Introduction: Shaping Urban Politics from Below: Citizen Participation in Late Medieval Europe

“…By coincidence or not, the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 was especially vigorous in the regions where they had relocated. 65 While social unrest in these regions was not necessarily caused by Flemish immigrants, perhaps their ideas inspired fellow artisans to take up arms. Just as the 'Arab Spring' from 2010 spread through social media, the 'années révolutionnaires', a phrase coined by Mollat and Wolff for the turbulent years of 1378-81, 66 in Europe's history might be viewed in the light of travelling merchants, pilgrims, and exiles.…”