14∼15세기 잉글랜드 내 이주민의 직업과 정착지 분석

Occupations and Settlements of Immigrants in England during the 14th and 15th centuries

This paper analyses the complex factors that influenced immigrants in England during the 14th and 15th centuries by examining their occupations and settlements. The geographical distribution of immigrants was influenced by their occupations, as well as the economic, political, and social contexts of the regions in which they settled. During the late medieval period in England, immigrants were present in a variety of towns and counties. In the context of continental Europe, the largest immigrant group came from the Low Countries, followed by France, Germany, and Italy. The geographical origins of these immigrants were often closely linked to their occupations. Immigrants from France were frequently recorded under the general term “servants” and worked in various occupations, often settling in inland regions. Many of them were employed in the grain and livestock industries, which predominated in the south-western and central regions of England. In contrast, Italian and Hanseatic merchants were primarily active in port towns. Italian merchants, in particular, were prominent in major trading ports such as Southampton, Bristol, and Sandwich. Both Italian and Hanseatic merchants were granted a range of privileges by the English Crown, which often provoked resentment and hostility among the natives. Cities were the most common destinations for immigrants. Those who settled in cities were primarily engaged in crafts and manufacturing industries such as textiles, brewing, and goldsmithing. Immigrants from the urbanized Low Countries, where manufacturing was highly developed, demonstrated a strong preference for settling in English towns and cities. The economic depression of the mid-15th century, combined with political instability such as the Wars of the Roses, served to intensify the native hostility toward immigrants, occasionally resulting in violence. Nevertheless, immigrant artisans contributed to urban communities through their skills and played a vital role in the development of urban manufacturing in the cities where they settled.