WIP Article 3: Italian & Byzantine Trade

[Hengest]

Italian Banking
Maona (from the Arabic Maounach) or Societas Comperarum was a medieval Italian association of investors formed to manage the purchased shares (loca or partes) of the revenue due to the relevant city-state through tax farming; the shares were individually sold to wealthy merchants, but the collection could be difficult and so these merchants would band together. These organizations were usually extremely aggressive in extracting the monies due them; their actions went up to, and included, outright conquest. Maona were especially common in Genoa.

Requires Towns or Peasantry, or sesti et signori
XXX
1 Corporazioni delle arti e mestieri (corporations of artizans and craftsmen)

2A Arti Minori (lesser guilds) armourers & military leather workers
+ trade, + recruitment cost reduction, + armour upgrade (military bonuses)

2B Arti Mediane (middle guilds) builders & farmers
+ farming, + trade, + stone cost reduction

2C Arti Maggiori (greater guilds) fabric merchants, lawyers & bankers
+ trade, + law, + tax

2C Bonus1: Collegii Drapariorum or Priorato delle Arti (Priory of the guilds)-included the Arte della lana (wool), Arte della calimala (cloth), Arte della Seta (silk) + trade
2C Bonus2: Tribunale della Mercatanzia (mercantile tribunal) + trade, + law, + tax
2C Bonus3: Corte della Mercanzia (merchants court) + trade, + law, + tax

3 Noveschi (Requires 2C)
4 Maona (usury banking like Jewish/Templar banks) (Requires 3)


BYZANTINE TRADE

1. Oikoumene literally ‘known world’ used in later Byzantine meaning to refer to those outposts considered under Eastern Roman suzerainty + law, + order, + trade

A2 Kommerkion, a customs duty of 10% which was in fact no more than taxes and tariffs elsewhere but was well-enforced and highly successful + law, + tax, - happiness

A3 Chrysobullos logos latinoi –golden bull of the Latins, an issue of trade freedoms to the Italians A3 + law, - order, - happiness, + trade, + tax, + growth

A4 Aurum oblaticium- originally a senatorial collection of donations, it was later levied on the curatorial class as a form of poll tax and in later years could be used as a price for political power in the senate, allowing even foreigners the ability to gain legitimacy and a form of nobility. + trade, + tax, - happiness, - order, + growth, - health

A5 Hyperarithmoi –literally ‘great payers’ were those taxpayers who represented not merely the great nobility but the great trading companies and banks where vast sums changed hands. + trade, + tax, - happiness, - order, + growth, - health

B2 Topiké- local tax derived from fishing rights, EG 10,000 hyperpata in the 1400s - + law, + order, + trade, + tax

B3 Exagogion- public amenities tax, for use of baths etc + tax, - happiness, + order

B4 Phoundax -purpose-built, state controlled grain exchange, unpopular Imperial depot + tax, + food, - happiness, - order, - health

B5 Phrouria ‘citadels’ similar to the concept of kastra, notable during the Pecheneg Wars as a centre of refuge - tax penalty, + happiness, + experience military, + law, + order

[Los San Patricios]

Very interesting, Dominion of the Sword will surely have the most complex building tree of all Total War games.

[Basil 11]

Looking good - very impressed with this level of detail!
Would you please explain the reasons behind the health penalties caused as a result of these buildings?
Thanks again.

[Cvetko]

+rep

[Hektor27]

+rep
Regarding the Italian banking, since 2C has so many benefits and posibilities for upgrades, why would players choose to build other alternatives?

[Hengest]

Sorry for the delay in responding. That's a very good point, but if you look at the actual bonuses from the other options they are very unique and might be worthwhile strategies in developing a city. Such as reduction in building costs, which will be a very wise move if you intend to really develop the city. As for the other options under 2C as you say these are very numerous however since they involve money and represent investment banking they are going to be rather expensive. Whereas the lesser and middle guilds are much more easily formed from lower class workers they are going to be much cheaper and quicker to form. Mercantile courts are highly bureaucratic and will be slow to construct.

[Hektor27]

Very nice, looking forwards to seeing this implemented.