Editing 1209 (section)

==== Markets ====
* King [[Philip II of France]] ("Augustus") grants a "conduit" to merchants, going to the [[Champagne fairs]] (a [[trade fair]] organized in different towns of the [[County of Champagne]]), guaranteeing the safety of their travel – as any attempt made against them – is now to be considered a crime of [[lèse-majesté]] (an offense against the king). The decision increases again the appeal of the fairs to merchants from [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]] and the [[Low Countries]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Recueils de la Société Jean Bodin pour l'histoire comparative des institutions|year=1953|publisher=Éditions de la Librairie encyclopedique|location=Paris}}</ref>
* In [[Tuscany]] the banking firm known as the [[Gran Tavola]] ("Great Table") is formed; most of the partners are members of the [[Orlando Bonsignori|Bonsignori]] family.<ref name=biografico>{{cite web|last=Catoni|first=Giuliano|title=Bonsignori|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/bonsignori_(Dizionario-Biografico)/|work=Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani|access-date=20 December 2011}}</ref>