In het spoor van wagenlieden en karrenmannen. De Brabantse lokale transportmarkt in de vijftiende en zestiende eeuw

Transport history of the duchy of Brabant during the pre-industrial period has traditionally focussed on long-distance international trade. In this transport segment some major advances in organisation were achieved during the sixteenth century, resulting in a professionalisation of carters and waggoners. To a large extent, the local transport market has yet to be discovered and analysed. In this article the authors describe, on the basis of the ducal accounts, how the local transport market in Brabant worked during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. These accounts include hundreds of entries with expenses for transport of commodities that were transported throughout the duchy for maintenance and repair on ducal buildings. For these transport services, the ducal clerks contracted carters and waggoners on the basis of various procedures. Although customary carrying services were still used during the fifteenth century and villagers were asked or forced to transport commodities in exceptional circumstances. The majority of transport services were contracted to transporters through tender, bidding or temporary contracts. Both professional and occasional carters and waggoners were hired. In contrast with observations in other parts of Europe (e.g. Mediterranean basin), Brabantine farmers or labourers did not offer transport services for lower prices than professional transporters. As a result of the expanding Brabantine economy, farmers or labourers offering transport services were able to get paid at market prices. On the basis of the ducal accounts it is clear that not one group - professionals or occasional transporters - prevailed in the market of local transport. Transport services for the duke were assigned to those persons available, whether or not professionals. The observation that a large pool of transporters was hired and that prices were not dependant on the social-professional background of the transporters reveals that - even without corporations - the local transport market of Brabant during the long sixteenth century was 'organised' and had its checks and balances.