Infotext: Krakow - Renaissance - Guild economy

The 16th century witnessed flourishing economic life in Kraków. At that time, the city was an important production centre supplying goods to its inhabitants, people from other regions of the country, the royal court and also exporting its commodities abroad. The major part of  production was still based on the guild system, although new forms, such as big companies employing paid workers, were slowly developing. Some of them possessed features of first manufactures. The non-guild production was also performed by the so called servants commissioned by the court. In Kraków, one such example was an Italian artisan granted a privilege of producing majolica by King Stefan Batory (Stephen Báthory). Goldsmiths, book binders, clothiers, drapers and butchers were considered court servants. The gradual specialisation of production started. Because of the development of building and printing, brickyards, lime works and printing mills were established on the outskirts of Kraków. Furthermore, Kraków burghers were setting up mining and industrial companies.

In the 16th century, there were  approximately 50 guilds in Kraków. Sometimes, craftsmen of various or related specialities belonged to one guild. Numerous conflicts between members of different guilds took place. There were also conflicts between guild master artisans and craftsmen not belonging to any guild. The number of “bunglers” produced goods at lower costs and prices. Jewish craftsmen also competed with the guilds.

Moreover, some old guilds were slowly disappearing, and new ones were taking their place. The changes were caused by the civilization progress and they influenced especially the weaponry and book production. The increasing wealth and development of the city and its inhabitants were the main reasons behind the growing demand for industrial goods, and guilds had problems supplying adequate amounts of them.

In the 16^th century, Kraków was not only famous for its goldsmiths, but it was also the flourishing centre of metal crafts, and the hide, skin and leather industry. Goods made of iron, copper, tin and bronze were produced by blacksmiths, locksmiths, cutlers, bell founders and nail, needle, sword and clock makers. A rare and important specialization, namely type founding, was developed in Kraków. Yet another extremely rare guild dealing with the production and export of various kinds of groats (hulled grains of various cereals, such as oats, wheat, barley or buckwheat) operated in Kraków. Moreover, a high number of potters and stove fitters worked in the city. They produced colourfully glazed roof tiles and artistically ornamented tiles. The Renaissance rebuilding of the city and the royal castle encouraged the development of bricklayer and mason workshops as well as brickyards belonging to the city. It also influenced the municipal lime works and quarries, and increased their production. 

Guilds in Poland – from the 13th century on, associations of handicraftsmen dealing with the same craft, joined to form a kind of fraternity and ruled with their own statutes. The 16^th century witnessed an extraordinary growth of Kraków guilds. They arrogated to themselves the right of supervision over other guilds in the country.