Staple right
Encyclopedia
The staple right was a medieval right accorded to certain ports, the staple ports, that required merchant barges or ships to unload their goods at the port, and display them for sale for a certain period, often three days. Only after this option had been given to the local customers was the trader allowed to reload his cargo and travel onwards with the remaining unsold freight. Limited staple rights were sometimes given to towns along major trade-routes, e.g. Görlitz
obtained staple rights for Salt
and Woad
.
, Mainz
or Cologne
(where a Stapelhaus still stands as a reminder of the former right). At the same time it erected a strong barrier against long-distance trade due to the increased costs and the time required to unload and load ships - especially as a river might have multiple staple-right cities in a row. This especially affected the transport of perishable goods like foodstuffs, though traders could often pay a fee to avoid having to display their wares, thus turning the staple right into a form of trade taxation
, with similar, but less severe results.
The staple right was probably introduced by Charles the Great
(ruled 768-814); while the Congress of Vienna
decided to abolish the staple right in 1815. This took effect on the river Rhine by means of the Mainzer Akte in 1831 and for the whole of Germany by means of the German Customs Union in 1834.
Görlitz
Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
obtained staple rights for Salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
and Woad
Woad
Isatis tinctoria, with Woad as the common name, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly called dyer's woad, and sometimes incorrectly listed as Isatis indigotica . It is occasionally known as Asp of Jerusalem...
.
Germany
The staple right is sometimes compared to the market right (the right to hold a regular market) as being extremely important for the economic prosperity of the river cities that possessed the right, such as LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
or Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
(where a Stapelhaus still stands as a reminder of the former right). At the same time it erected a strong barrier against long-distance trade due to the increased costs and the time required to unload and load ships - especially as a river might have multiple staple-right cities in a row. This especially affected the transport of perishable goods like foodstuffs, though traders could often pay a fee to avoid having to display their wares, thus turning the staple right into a form of trade taxation
Tax, tariff and trade
The tax, tariff and trade laws of a political region, state or trade bloc determine which form of consumption and production tend to be encouraged or discouraged...
, with similar, but less severe results.
The staple right was probably introduced by Charles the Great
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
(ruled 768-814); while the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
decided to abolish the staple right in 1815. This took effect on the river Rhine by means of the Mainzer Akte in 1831 and for the whole of Germany by means of the German Customs Union in 1834.