Merchants and adventurer

In the Middle Ages, travelling was quite difficult and dangerous. Most people stayed at home their whole life. Regardless of the dangers of travelling thousands of people, such as knights, soldiers, crusaders, traders, tradesmen, pilgrims, beggars, prostitutes, minstrels, even emperors and kings often travelled great distances for one reason or another. Only the rich could afford horses for a journey and knights to protect them. Wild animals and thieving mobs made journeys quite unsafe.
In the 12th century German traders joined together from the “Hanse” because the demand increased and surpluses were produced. Their trade relations were based on LANDHANDEL and maritime trade. Therefore the “Hanse” was mostly responsible for the improvement and widening of the roads.
Knights were mounted warriors who protected the weak and needy people as well as churches and monasteries. Most of the knights were crusaders, meaning that they drove the infidels out of the Holy Land. But when firearms were discovered, knights were no longer necessary and most of them turned into nasty robber barons.
In the early Middle Ages there were only a few accommodations for travellers like traders or pilgrims where they were able to sleep and take some refreshment. Through the increase of the pilgrimages since the 11th century and through better trade there was a bigger and bigger demand for traveller accommodations.
Travellers stayed in towns such as “wandering people”, although they never stayed long in warm place and so belonged to the middle class.  The rich and wealthy Patricians belonged to the upper class, the lepers people belonged to the lowest class.