Technikatörténeti szemle 11. (1979)

TANULMÁNYOK - Endrei Walter: Industrial revolution in the middle ages?

This order of time, however, had by far surpassed the need of the era. The chronometers of Robert Wallingford and Giovanni de’ Dondi, the clockworks of townhalls were curiosities to be amazed through centuries, as much as the 150 metres high cathedral spires and the silk filatoio which was described even centuries later by Montaigne with great admiration.

The question arises whether all these were integral part of mediaeval technology, expressions of the need of contemporary society. It seems more probable that they represent a premature development promoted by the favourable social and economic climate of some Italian, French and Flemish towns in the 13th—Hthcenturies, anticipating technical ideas and mechanical principles of the Industrial Revolution.

It was as if an unusually warm February had lured to burst the buds of a tree slumbering under the bark and the winter, returning, had stopped their growth. Some of the sprouts were nipped by the frost, a few survived and lived to see summer.

I think with this I have tried to give a reply to the question raised in my introduction. Yes, industrial revolution began in the middle ages, as an untimely, precautious birth of technological achievements to which social conditions ripened only half of a milleneum later.

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