A History Of Tin In The Middle Ages

Posted on by Brian Colwell

The Middle Ages witnessed a fundamental transformation in the global tin trade as the ancient mining centers of the Mediterranean gave way to new powers and patterns of commerce.

From 500 to 1500 CE, tin mining evolved from a fragmented post-Roman industry into a sophisticated international enterprise dominated by Cornwall and Devon, regulated by unique legal systems, and facilitated by emerging merchant networks that spanned from the British Isles to China. The collapse of Roman authority initially disrupted established tin supply chains, but the metal’s essential role in bronze production and the emerging pewter industry ensured its continued importance throughout medieval society. In Europe, the development of stannary law created autonomous mining jurisdictions with their own parliaments and courts, while technological innovations like water-powered machinery and deeper shaft mining revolutionized extraction methods. Meanwhile, in Asia, Chinese dynasties maintained steady tin production from Yunnan deposits, and Southeast Asian sources began their rise to global prominence.

The medieval tin trade exemplifies how specialized resource extraction could shape legal systems, drive technological progress, and forge commercial connections across vast distances, laying foundations for the early modern world economy that would follow.

Find interesting facts about tin here and the complete history of tin here. Be sure to check out all other critical raw materials (CRMs), as well.

A History Of Tin In The Middle Ages (500 CE – 1500 CE)

The medieval period marked a crucial transition in tin mining history, as ancient Roman networks collapsed and new centers of production emerged. From the stannary parliaments of Cornwall to the imperial mines of China, tin shaped economies, laws, and trade routes across three continents. This era saw the rise of specialized mining communities, the development of unique legal frameworks, and technological innovations that would define the industry for centuries to come.

Chronology

  • 500 CE – Tin production continues in post-Roman Britain despite the collapse of imperial administration; local Celtic and Anglo-Saxon communities maintain small-scale tin streaming operations in Cornwall and Devon [1]
  • 550-570 CE – Chinese dynasties continue producing Wu Zhu coins with tin content: Liang dynasty emperors Yuan (552) and Jing (557) issue coins with approximately 2% tin, followed by Chen dynasty (562) maintaining tin alloy traditions [2]
  • 600 CE – Tin mining activity in Cornwall enters period of limited documentation as Anglo-Saxon kingdoms consolidate control over southwestern Britain [3]
  • 618-621 CE – Tang dynasty establishes state control over tin mining and introduces Kai Yuan Tong Bao coinage with standardized composition of 83% copper, 15% lead, and 2% tin, becoming standard for next 300 years [4]
  • 700 CE – Yunnan tin deposits in southwestern China begin systematic exploitation, becoming primary tin source for Chinese bronze production throughout medieval period [5]
  • 730 CE – Chinese geographer Jia Dan documents maritime trade routes that would later facilitate tin commerce between China and Southeast Asia [6]
  • 800 CE – Etruscan tin mines at Monte Valerio in Tuscany exploited on small scale, though tin output remains insignificant compared to Atlantic sources [7]
  • 863 CE – Chinese author Duan Chengshi describes extensive maritime trade networks that would later include tin from Southeast Asian sources [6]
  • 900 CE – Cornish tin mining shows signs of revival as European demand for tin in bronze and pewter production begins to increase [3]
  • 907 CE – Fall of Tang dynasty in China leads to Five Dynasties period with continued tin use in coinage but varying tin content standards [4]
  • 960 CE – Otto I becomes Holy Roman Emperor, spurring development of metal mining in Central Europe including revival of tin extraction in the Erzgebirge; Northern Song dynasty established in China by General Zhao Kuangyin, initiating period of massive coin production requiring steady tin supplies [8, 9]
  • 1000 CE – Tin mining operations in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) between Germany and Czech Republic experience renewed activity after centuries of dormancy [10]
  • 1019 CE – Northern Song dynasty standardizes coinage alloy at 64% copper, 27% lead, and 9% tin, showing 20% reduction in copper content from Tang period [4, 9]
  • 1032 CE – Xi Xia Empire established in northwestern China, producing coins with variable tin content throughout its existence [4]
  • 1050 CE – European tin demand increases significantly as pewter becomes popular for ecclesiastical and domestic use [7]
  • 1066 CE – Norman Conquest of England; new Norman lords recognize value of Cornish tin resources and begin to organize tin production [3]
  • 1078 CE – Song dynasty tin bronze production peaks during Yuanfeng period with 17 mints producing over 5 million strings of coins annually using standardized tin content [9]
  • 1100 CE – German miners from the Harz mountains begin migrating to other regions, spreading mining expertise that would later benefit tin extraction [8]
  • 1127 CE – Southern Song dynasty established after loss of northern China; tin content in coins reduced to 5% due to copper scarcity, with composition set at 54% copper, 5% tin, balance lead [4]
  • 1156 CE – King Richard I of England in his role as Count of Cornwall derives significant revenues from tin mining [11]
  • 1200 CE – Cornish tin mining enters period of expansion as European demand for tin grows and organizational structures formalize [3]
  • 1201-1305 CE – English kings formalize tin mining governance: King John grants charter establishing Cornish stannary system with four tin districts (1201); Edward I creates Devon stannary towns of Tavistock, Ashburton, and Chagford with tin mining monopolies (1305) [3, 16]
  • 1234 CE – Mongols conquer Jin dynasty, acquiring control of northern Chinese tin and copper mining operations [13]
  • 1250-1293 CE – Hanseatic League consolidates control over northern European tin trade: merchants begin establishing networks for Cornwall tin distribution (1250); term “Hanse” first appears in documents (1267); League officially named in English tin trade documents (1282); captures Gotland to control Baltic tin distribution routes (1293) [14, 17, 19]
  • 1260 CE – Cornwall emerges as Europe’s primary tin producer as Iberian and Central European tin sources remain underdeveloped [1]
  • 1269-1292 CE – Lostwithiel becomes center of Cornish tin administration: Richard, Earl of Cornwall acquires the town (1269); Edmund of Cornwall builds Duchy Palace as tin industry headquarters (1292) [15]
  • 1271 CE – Kublai Khan establishes Yuan dynasty in China, continuing traditional tin bronze coinage and tin mining operations in Yunnan [4, 13]
  • 1280 CE – Cornish tin production organized around coinage towns where tin is assayed and taxed before sale [16]
  • 1288-1389 CE – Tin waste accumulation in Erme Valley, Devon, shows century of intensive tin mining activity [1]
  • 1290 CE – Chinese scholar Wang Zhen experiments with tin-metal movable type for printing, advancing on earlier clay type [18]
  • 1300 CE – Tin mining reaches new depths in Cornwall as surface tin deposits become exhausted, requiring new extraction techniques [3]
  • 1320 CE – Hanseatic League establishes London Steelyard, major kontor facilitating tin trade with England [12]
  • 1337-1339 CE – Edward III strengthens tin industry governance: creates Duchy of Cornwall confirming tin miners’ legal exemptions (1337); Duchy Palace becomes official seat of tin administration (1338); pawns crown jewels to Hanseatic merchants for war financing, strengthening their position in English tin trade (1339) [3, 12, 15]
  • 1348 CE – Black Death devastates Europe; Cornwall’s tin production falls by 80% as tin mining population decimated by plague [11]
  • 1355 CE – Mining of primary tin ores begins at Krásno in Bohemia, marking systematic exploitation of Central European tin deposits [20]
  • 1368 CE – Ming dynasty established in China, continuing tin mining in Yunnan and maintaining bronze coinage with tin content [21]
  • 1380 CE – Recovery of Cornish tin mining begins as population rebounds from Black Death [11]
  • 1389 CE – Tin waste accumulation in Erme Valley ends, suggesting completion of major tin mining phase in Devon [1]
  • 1391-1398 CE – Stecknitz Canal constructed between Lübeck and Lauenburg, improving transportation infrastructure for Hanseatic tin trade [14]
  • 1400 CE – Cornish tin mining increasingly dominated by wealthy merchants who control tin smelting and export operations [22]
  • 1420-1464 CE – Great Bullion Famine affects European tin trade: silver shortage increases importance of tin for currency generation (1420); Venice establishes quarantine stations affecting tin commerce routes (1423); Cornish William Trethewy earns £20 annually from tin operations (1440); Hanseatic tin trade monopoly weakens as nation-states strengthen (1441); famine intensifies affecting all metal trades including tin (1457-1464); Central European tin mining in Erzgebirge revives with improved technology (1460) [22, 23, 24]
  • 1470 CE – Cornish tin mining reaches new technical sophistication with deeper shafts and water-powered machinery for tin ore processing [3]
  • 1480 CE – Devon tin production remains at 10-11% of Cornwall’s tin output as Cornish mines dominate English tin production [1]
  • 1490 CE – Chinese inventor Hua Sui develops bronze movable type utilizing tin alloys for printing technology [13]
  • 1494 CE – First Crockern Tor stannary parliament held in Devon, demonstrating continued importance of tin industry governance [1]
  • 1496-1497 CE – Cornish tin mining rebellion: stannaries suspended due to political tensions (1496); tin miners rebel against Henry VII’s war taxes, march on London, defeated at Battle of Deptford Bridge (1497) [1, 3, 25]
  • 1500 CE – Close of medieval period sees Cornwall and Devon producing majority of European tin while Asian tin sources prepare for massive expansion [5]

Final Thoughts

The thousand-year journey of medieval tin mining reveals how a single metal could forge new forms of governance, pioneer industrial techniques, and connect civilizations across continents. Unlike the ancient world where tin served primarily military and ceremonial purposes, the Middle Ages transformed tin into an engine of legal innovation and commercial revolution. The stannary parliaments of Cornwall created Europe’s first industry-specific legal systems, granting miners unprecedented autonomy centuries before modern labor movements. Chinese dynasties demonstrated how tin-bronze coinage could stabilize vast empires, while the Hanseatic League proved that control over tin distribution could build mercantile power rivaling nation-states. Perhaps most significantly, medieval tin mining pioneered technologies—from water-powered pumps to deep shaft excavation—that would later enable the Industrial Revolution. As 1500 approached, the scattered tin streams of post-Roman Europe had evolved into sophisticated operations poised for global expansion, setting the stage for tin’s role in the age of exploration and the birth of capitalism.

Thanks for reading!

References

[1] Mining in Cornwall and Devon – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_Cornwall_and_Devon

[2] Ancient Chinese coinage – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Chinese_coinage

[3] Stannary law – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stannary_law

[4] Chemical studies of Chinese coinage II – https://www.nature.com/articles/s40494-021-00530-3

[5] Tin mining – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_mining

[6] Tang dynasty – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_dynasty

[7] Tin sources and trade during antiquity – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_sources_and_trade_during_antiquity

[8] Mining and metallurgy in medieval Europe – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_and_metallurgy_in_medieval_Europe

[9] Economy of the Song dynasty – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_Song_dynasty

[10] Ore Mountains – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore_Mountains

[11] History of the Cornish Stannaries – https://www.cornwallforever.co.uk/history/cornish-stannaries

[12] The Hanseatic League: Europe’s First Common Market? – https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/hanseatic-league-europes-first-common-market

[13] Song dynasty – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_dynasty

[14] Hanseatic League – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League

[15] The Stannary History of Old Duchy Palace – https://cornwallbpt.org.uk/the-stannary-history-of-old-duchy-palace/

[16] Stannary – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stannary

[17] The origins – https://www.hanse.org/en/the-medieval-hanseatic-league/the-origins

[18] Science and technology of the Song dynasty – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_technology_of_the_Song_dynasty

[19] Hanseatic League – https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanseatic-League

[20] Tin and prehistoric mining in the Erzgebirge – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229641840_Tin_and_prehistoric_mining_in_the_Erzgebirge_Ore_Mountains_some_new_evidence

[21] Ming dynasty – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_dynasty

[22] Mine’s a mine: the pre-industrial mining industry of Cornwall and Devon – https://thehistoryofparliament.wordpress.com/2021/07/06/mines-a-mine-the-pre-industrial-mining-industry-of-cornwall-and-devon/

[23] Great Bullion Famine – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Bullion_Famine

[24] Hanseatic League – an overview – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/hanseatic-league

[25] Learn Mining in Cornwall and Devon facts for kids – https://kids.kiddle.co/Mining_in_Cornwall_and_Devon