Merchants Staplers

Merchants Staplers, company of English merchants who controlled the export of English wool from the late 13th century through the 16th century.

English wool exports were concentrated in one town, which was called the staple, in order to minimize the problems of collecting export duties. The location of the staple varied, but in the 14th century it was fixed at Calais, then held by England. The crown granted the Merchants of the Staple a monopoly over the export of wool and in return collected the duties. The Staplers exerted their greatest influence in the 15th century, becoming one of the crown’s most important financiers. In addition to carrying on financial activities, they established trade regulations at Calais, administered merchant law in the city, and exercised political and diplomatic functions for the crown. With the growth of English manufacturing in the 16th century and after, more wool was used domestically, and the Staplers became less important as the export trade diminished.