Saffron Growing in the Middle Ages by SunKat

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Already in the 14th century the Merchants' Guild of Basle called their guild-room "The Saffron", and when in 1423 they built a hail worthy of their importance, the name of the house, which was called after the "King of Herbs", became synonymous with the guild itseif, and the crocus flower, heraldically elaborated, became the badge of the guild.

 

These details convey some idea of the importance of saffron as an article of trade. The mediaeval cooks and physicians made liberal use of the fine powder won from the dried and pounded stigma of the crocus sativus. It was also used for dyeing cloth and leather.

 

In the lists of the Basle Customs House of the fourteenth century, saffron was already a standing order. By the long and laborious overland route, or by the vessels of the Oberland watermen, it was imported into the city by the wealthy merchants who dealt in it. The "Saffron War" of 1374 speaks plainly of the quantities consumed. On that occasion a homeward-bound caravan was stopped and plundered near the upper Hauenstein. The most valuable booty which the robbers carried off, was made up of 8 cwt of saffron. In similar manner two Basle merchants were robbed of a valuable load of saffron and other Venetian merchandise near Innsbruck in the war between Basle and Austria in 1410. Such difficulties, in addition to the considerable costs of transport, no less than the tempting prospect of large profits, promoted the idea which, towards the end of the 14th century, was prevalent throughout the reaches of the Upper Rhine, to produce saffron at home. In this matter Basle profited by the fact that its widely travelled merchants were familiar with the process.

 

From about 1420 the growing and the sale of saffron became a new profitable occupation for the people of Basle, and that to an extent which soon induced the authorities to take a hand in the matter. In a state of joyous expectation the city council announced that "a course of events had arisen, which, by the will of God, should be very profitable, viz., the fact that many people, noble and common, have begun to grow saffron, which appears to be coming on well". In a public proclamation the citizens were warned against damaging the crops, and the city bailiffs instructed to keep a watchful eye on the fields. With the approaching harvest the anxious care of the city fathers again became manifest; they themselves undertook the bringing-in of the harvest and the manufacture of the product. Saffron scales were set up in the Guildhall, on which all quantities exceeding half a pound had to be weighed. Special measures were bought, and a comptroller appointed to see that none of the precious powder was falsified.

 

Not only the growers, merchants, and the City Council profited by the new industry, The Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral received their tithe, as they did "of every fruit borne by the earth" within the precincts of Basle. It is easy to imagine that the success of the new venture tempted other lords and cities to try their hand at saffron-growing. Seeing no reason why they should help to promote competition, the City Fathers, who were at the same time shrewd businessmen, forbade on penalty of severe punishment the export of seeds. An offer of the City of Ulm to buy seeds in Basle was therefore immediately turned down.

 

 

Especially strict measures were taken to prevent any adulteration of the saffron, in order to safeguard this product of the city against ill-repute. In 1419 a citizen was indicted for mixing sandalwood with his saffron and selling it as pure. The culprit was rewarded with two years banishment, and was deprived of his civic rights for life. No less severe was the punishment meted out to two merchants of Cologne several years later for a similar offence committed at Basle.

This profitable industry was, however, of surprisingly short duration. Scarcely ten years after the promising beginning, a few bad harvests put an end to saffron-growing. Nevertheless Basle became an important centre of the saffron trade when at the time of the Council of Basle (1431-48) a wealthy and enterprising merchant of the city, Heinrich Halbisen by name, together with merchants from Barcelona founded a powerful company for the sale of saffron throughout the German Empire, Flanders, and England.

In England, too, saffron appears to have been grown since the middle of the fourteenth century, especially in the neighbourhood of Histon in Cambridgeshire and Saffron Walden in Essex. The latter named town bears in its coat of arms the saffron-lily, which points to the industry which flourished there until 1768. The English saffron growers were known as crokers.