Silver and Spices in the Runtinger Trade with Prague

In the late medieval period, a prominent trade route led from Prague through Regensburg to Venice. Silver mined in Bohemian hinterland was traded for luxury items Near East. The merchant house of Runtinger made vast profits by buying cloth and luxuries cheaply Venice—in particular spices India—and selling them exchange comparatively large quantities silver Prague. This study treats their ledger, Das Runtingerbuch (1383–1407), as case an analysis economy. Runtingers sold same types during span years, which makes it possible use records sources with compare two markets. are shown have market power spice but no or reasons these differences theorized reference socioeconomic positions elites. Luxury were coins, constituting continuous drain Bohemia towards Regensburg, degree stagnation local economy Bohemia.