The Rise of the Building Contractor in the Fifteenth Century in the Low Countries The Case of Godevaert de Bosschere

This article examines the development of trade in the construction sector at the end of the Middle Ages in the former Low Countries. It focuses on the emergence of wealthy and active entrepreneurs in several regions and the appearance of the public tender system. In order to shed light on the significance, the scale, and the geographical reach of these businesses, this article looks at the markets in which Godevaert de Bosschere, one of the leading traders of Brussels stone in the fifteenth century, was involved.