Merchants' Guild

&nbsp As trade increased in Meridia the taxes became excessive. A single person had no chance of making any objections to the rate and amount of tax that the lord demanded. The idea of the Merchants' Guild was born. The Merchants' Guild was an association of traders. The Merchants' Guild was able to negotiate with the lord and the trade levy became regulated. The regulations agreed between the Merchants' Guild and the lord resulted in a Merchants' Guild charter. The Merchant Guild charter allowed the merchants to pay an annual payment to the lord who owned the land. The members of the Merchants' Guild became powerful. The Merchants' Guild controlled the way in which trade was conducted in Meridia. The Merchants' Guild applied rules to the way in which trade was conducted in Meridia. These rules were included in the charters of the Merchants' Guild.

Rules of the Merchant Guild Charter:
 * Fines were imposed on any Merchants' Guild member who violated the Merchant Guild charter.
 * Members of the Merchants' Guild were protected and any member who fell ill was cared for by the guild. Burials of guild members were arranged and the Merchants' Guild took care of any orphaned children.
 * Members of the Merchants' Guild also provided protection of their horses, wagons, and any goods when moving about, traveling the lands.