merchants and resources

[godfather_77]

I was wondering if someone could clarify how merchants work in relation to resources.
1. I am assuming that a merchant has to be next to a resource to get the specified amount of florins per turn is that the right assumption?
2. I notice that when playing England my settlements are still trading resources with each other even though merchants are not on the resources. How do settlements decide what resources are traded and with whom?
3. If I place a merchant on a resource in France, for example, will I get the monetary gain until he is removed/bought out?
4. Trade agreements between factions are established through a diplomat and not a merchant...So i don't need to have a merchant in the faction territory that I am trading with?
thank you!!

[Jzech]

1. That is correct. The amount itself is affected by both the merchant's skill and the distance it is from the capital.
2. While I'm not sure of the specifics, settlements generally trade resources whenever they have a road connection with one or more other settlements. Also I think having better roads gives you more of a trade income. Hopefully someone else can answer this better.
3. Yes, you will.
4. No, but having trade agreements increases your own merchant's profits in that country's regions. So while you will still make money, you would make more with a merchant.

[hbk_123]

2. Settlements will trade resources with other settlements if there are roads connecting them. Better roads give you more income. If you want to know which resources they are trading, open your settlement trading scroll at the bottom of the settlement info scroll, it will show you what resources are being traded and for how much

[Sar1n]

Well, I've noticed a few things about merchies and resources, and piecing together with what I read here on forums it seem like this...

Each settlement has its buy/sell list of resources (or maybe that is determined by resources in the area). If it has access (another your settlement or settlement with trade rights), it will trade these resources. Also, your capital's list affects payments from merchants, if you have merchant on resource wanted by capital he'll make a lot more money.

For merchants, another thing determining the income is land ownership. There appears to be three categories, friendly/neutral/hostile. Friendly is your land or trade partner's land, neutral and hostile are self-explanatory. Of course, friendly pays best, hostile least. Also, there are positive traits associated with merchants being far away from capital.