Author(s): Abu-Lughod, Janet
Year: 1989
Cover
Preface
Contents
Introduction - Chapter 1. Studying a System in Formation
The Thirteenth Century: A World System?
European Exemplars of the Thirteenth and Sixteenth Centuries
Some Historiographic Methodological Problems
Plan of the Book
Notes
Part I: The European Subsystem
Emergence from Old Empires
Chapter 2. The Cities of the Champagne Fairs
Fairs as Economic Exchange
The Fairs of Champagne and Their Towns
Lessons from the Champagne Fairs
Notes
Chapter 3. Bruges and Ghent: Commercial and Industrial Cities of Flanders
The Origins of Ghent and Bruges
The Origins of the Flemish Textile Industry
The Height of Textiles (Ghent) and the Shift to Commerce (Bruges)
Bruges and the Foreign Financiers
The Black Death
Lessons from the Case of Flanders
Notes
Chapter 4. The Merchant Mariners of Genoa and Venice
Origins of the Two Port Cities
The Impact of the Crusades on Venice and Genoa
The Alliance between the State and Private Capitalism
Changes in the System of Trade, 1260 to 1350
The Mid-Century Depression
Lessons from Genoa and Venice
Notes
Part II: The Mideast Heartland
The Three Routes to the East
Notes
Chapter 5. The Mongols and the Northeast Passage
The Physical and Social Environment of the Central Asian Steppes
Reducing Europe’s Ignorance of the Mongols
The Unintended Consequences of Mongol Success
Samarkand and Other Caravan Centers
Lessons from the Mongol Case
Notes
Chapter 6. Sindbad’s Way: Baghdad and the Persian Gulf
Muslim/Christian Trade
Baghdad
The Gulf Route to the East
The Decline (for Whom?) of the Middle Route
Lessons from the Baghdad—Persian Gulf Case
Notes
Chapter 7. Cairo’s Monopoly under the Slave Sultanate
Islam and Business
Fustat—Cairo and the Processes of Production and Trade
The Impact of the Black Death on Egypt and Syria
Relations between the Mamluk Regime and the Italian Traders
The Red Sea and Aden: Gateway to the East
Lessons from Egypt
Notes
Part III: Asia
The Indian Ocean System: Divided into Three Parts
Chapter 8. The Indian Subcontinent: On the Way to Everywhere
Early Links Westward to the Mediterranean
Early Links Eastward to Southeast Asia
The Western Coast of India: Gujarat and Malabar in Medieval Times
The Organization of Southeast Indian Societies in the Middle Ages
Lessons from the Indian Case
Notes
Chapter 9. The Strait and Narrow
Palembang and Malacca Today
The Links to Outside
The Problem of Sources Revisited
The Indian Influence on the Straits Region
China and the Strait
The Arab Connections to Malacca, Palembang, and Beyond
Lessons from the Straits
Notes
Chapter 10. All the Silks of China
China’s Participation in International Trade
Technological Sophistication
Business Practices and Institutions
Hangchow in the Thirteenth Century
Why China Withdrew
China’s Economic Collapse
Lessons from the Chinese Case
Notes
Conclusion - Chapter 11. Restructuring the Thirteenth-Century World System
The Thirteenth-Century World System Synthesized
The Restructuring of Systems
Theory of Systemic Change
Future World Systems
Notes
Bibliography
A Guide to the Bibliographic Guide
General and Europe
Middle East
Asia
Index
