littera merchantile

The term "littera merchantile" refers to a specific style of black-letter cursive script used by medieval Italian merchants. Black-letter, also known as Gothic script, is characterized by its uniform vertical strokes, angular lines, and the fusion of convex forms. This style was prevalent in manuscript books and documents across Europe from the late 12th to the 20th century.1

The "law merchant" (lex mercatoria) was a body of customary rules and principles used by merchants during the Middle Ages to regulate their dealings. It developed to protect foreign merchants and provide a uniform legal framework for trade, drawing from Roman law and Germanic influences.23