One of the most common costumes of wealthy medieval merchants toward the end of the middle ages consisted of a hose and a jacket sometimes accompanied by pleating or skirting.
New trade routes via Italy were opened and the Medieval merchant traded in spices, wine, food, raw materials, furs, cloth, glass, jewels and a whole host of different luxuries.
Medieval society divided itself between three societal categories that included the clergy, the peasants and the fighters. Merchants were not considered as part of these three categorizations and were largely discriminated against.
