Charity and neighbourly communities among the guilds of late medieval Ghent

The craft guilds of late medieval Ghent have been analysed for their socio-economic power and their influence in politics, but understanding their function culturally and as communities remains a challenge. The terminology applied by the Ghent guilds was different, as was the parish system, but the idea of communities being solidified through informal ties, support networks and charity provides a more meaningful way of analysing guild societies and offers a new perspective on these groups. This chapter turns to ideals of charity in Ghent, and the role of mutual support in enhancing and stabilising relationships, rather than its more overt function as the economic basis of charitable systems. Guilds strove to establish enduring social ties, encouraging members to love their guild-brothers as neighbours and using commensality and devotion to emphasise social bonds and a sense of belonging.