Medici Merchant and Trust

A Merchant House in Lords of the Earth Campaign Ten

" We carry within us the wonders we seek without us."  --Sir Thomas Browne (Religio Medici)

Welcome to the Home Offices of The Medici Merchant and Trust, a merchant house in the fictional Europe of the Lords of the Earth game.  Under new management since the year 1555, Medici Merchant and Trust is the oldest merchant house in the world, and still strives daily to meet the needs of its many customers. 

All inquiries are welcome.  From the Old World to the New, from earth-shaking empires to up-and-coming kingdoms, Medici is prepared to handle your shipping and improve your bottom line.

Inquiries may be directed to:  nolan@erols.com

Medici Services

Medici Merchant and Trust offers a full array of services to its customers, including:

• CARTEL TRADE - Let Medici carry your trade for you.  Our fast, efficient transport fleet will speed your goods to market, ensuring you a price that's not just competitive, it's THE BEST! 

• BANKING - Need cash fast for an important project?  Medici offers easy, low-cost short- and long-term loans.  We even offer no-interest loans to our cartel route and monopoly customers!

• MONOPOLIES - You're a great prince with better things to do than handle the minutia of your nation's businesses.  Allow Medici guildmasters to handle some of your nation's trade value, and see profits add up reliably and safely.  Guaranteed!

• PROJECTS - Need to conserve your manpower for those all-important national armies?  Let Medici cultivate your territories or build your great monuments!

• MERCENARIES - Medici offers the services of a powerful array of modern mercenaries to its customers throughout the Mediterranean region.  Just ask our Home Office for a quote!

• DIPLOMATS - Medici's master merchants are among the world's finest diplomats.  Trained in dozens of languages and familiar with all local customs, they are proud to serve you in all your diplomatic needs.  Acquiring land a specialty!

• SALES - We buy and sell Agricultural products, warships and transport vessels!  If you are seeking to buy or sell, be sure to contact our Home Office for an excellent price.

Medici Policies

Here at Medici Merchant and Trust, we place the emphasis on Trust. We make the following promises to our customers:

1) Prompt, complete payments.  Medici pays its customers for their cartel trade and monopolies in full and on time, every time.

2) Free Trade.  Medici believes in trade among all nations, whatever their religion, region or past.  We are as eager to serve our Muslim friends as we are our Christian brothers.  We see this harmony of service as an important facet of our identity.  We also deplore any and all restrictions on the passage of trade through the world's waterways.

3) Ease of Payment - Medici is pleased to accept payments in gold, agricultural products or in merchant shipping vessels.

Medici History

1444 - Lorenzo d' Medici founds the Mercantile and Banking Company of Livorno with offices in Rome, Genoa and Naples. (George Forbes, player).

1464 - Forced out of Aswana by the naval blockade of the Sultantate of Iest.

1476 - Medici house forces instrumental in dethroning Pope Paul II in Italy's war against the Papacy.

1480 - Medici support is critical to the election of Pope Sixtian IV.

1488 - Medici fights off an attempted takeover of the Tarrantum trade by the As Shirki al Bahri al Basra (SBB). (Evan Fortney, player)

1496 - Medici takes over some English and some Italian trade.

1508 - Name changed to the Mercantile and Banking Syndicate of Livorno.

1516 - Medici announces it supports the Arles family in its bid for supremacy in Italy. (Jeff Morrison, player)

1519 - Medici possessions in London confiscated by the Sultantate of Elsut (later the Sultantate of Ingilitarra).  Natani d'Medici assumes control of Italian trade.  Name changed to Medici Merchant and Trust.

1522 - With its name once again altered (this time it is The Medici Syndicate), Medici personnel are falsely accused of nefarious plots in England and Saxonia.  Natani d' Medici dies.  Cosimo d' Medici, currently in a Saxonian dungeon, becomes head of the house.  Medici attempts to woo subsidiaries from the Casablanca trading house meet with considerable difficulties. (Tonia Harrison, player)

1525 - The papacy foolishly strips shipping routes from their faithful supporter, the Medici.  (Joe Breda, player).

1528 - Cosimo d' Medici, head of the House and in a Saxonian prison for the last six years, escapes from jail.  Saxonia cancels Medici trade routes.  Medici purchases merchant ships from Italy.

1531 - Al Andalus captures several Medici facilities in Spain.  Marco d'Medici founds the port city of Dakar in Senegal. Senegal seized by Al Andalus.  (Kerry Harrison, player)

1534 - Home office at Livorno sacked by the Arles Empire during the Italian Civil War. (Phil Baird, player)

1537 - Medici launches broad, but unsuccessful attack on the holdings of Casablanca and WHOMPCO.  City of Tagaktu seized.

1540-1546 -  Leaderless, Medici's fortunes fall drastically.

1549 - Medici makes deals with Rome and Saxonia.  Its fortunes begin to rise.  This time, the Medici stay out of Italy's war with Saxonia and Helvetica.  (Dean Patterson, player).

1552 - Leaderless again, Medici had reached the breaking point.  The vast majority of its once-widespread holdings and cartel routes are gone.  Most of its shipping is devoted to fishing, just to feed the house's dwindling number of servants.

1558 - Under new management once again, the name reverts to Medici Merchant and Trust. (Scott Nolan, player)  Many new trade routes established, and cartel trade carried for Saxonia, Helvetica, Italy and the Roman Empire.  The Medici faithfully begin to pay old debts despite their own financial hardships. Federico di Medici unsuccessfully attempts a naval invasion of Georgia.  The Sultan of Ingilitarra cedes Munster and the city of Amal to the Medici.

1561 - The Syndicate continues to expand its trade routes, attempting to repair the site statuses lost over the last decade. 

Chart of Trade Values

Medici v. other trading houses, with Norman Saxonia and the Aethiopian Lion for comparison.