This article mostly concentrates on medieval Europe, but in the last two sections there are also some suggestions for readings on the Islamic world and Asia. Indeed, all sectors of society came into contact with markets and fairs and this was to have major implications for economic and cultural development. The importance of commercialization within economic history is now broadly accepted, and the expansion of markets, fairs, and trade from the 10th century onwards led to a more market-oriented society.
We also know a lot more about those who used markets, the commodities exchanged, how these fora were regulated, and even broader attitudes toward trade and traders. This means that our knowledge of market origins and networks has increased greatly. The earliest stimulus was for studies on England, the Low Countries, and Spain, but there is now research encompassing most of Europe and beyond.
Interest in the role of markets and fairs within the medieval economy has undergone a resurgence since the 1990s.
