The Economic and Population Changes in Europe

This episode's gentle listeners is long on facts short on gags. I'm just going to bring us up to date with those countries which have played a peripheral part over the last few episodes or even no part at all. The improvement in climate carried through until about 1200 which also helped crop yields and the amount of land that could be used for crops. Towns and trade grew all over Europe. Italy saw the biggest and earliest gains in external trade carrying trade from all over Europe - they sold slaves from Germany to the Arabs of Africa and Levant. By 1200 many of the northern Italian cities had acquired very considerable degrees of freedom. Trade fairs like those of Champagne flourished and helped the growth of