This book has arisen out of my long-term interest in the cities of north- and south-east Europe. The method of approach is not that of the historian, but an historical geographer, who wishes to examine the wider spatial impact of a city through its trade links over an extended time period. In some ways the work acts as a counterbalance to my earlier research on Dubrovnik and its commercial contacts with the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean. A similar approach has been adopted here with Cracow, in a bid to extend our knowledge of trade and urban development in Poland and other parts of east-central Europe over several centuries.

It is not intended here to present English readers with a concise history of Cracow, a task better left to more qualified scholars. Neither is it primarily an attempt to portray the city's political history, economic development or cultural life, although such influences have been taken into consideration where necessary. Aspects of city life (daily problems, survival, etc.), while a growing topic of interest for urban historians, is only utilized here if it was thought to have some impact on the wider spatial consequences for Cracow's trading connections. The book is an effort to try and see one European city against the backcloth of the whole continent, interpreted through commercial activity funnelled through its emporium during the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period up to the end of the eighteenth century. It is hoped that such a study will provide insights into the changing spatial patterns of commodity analysis through time over parts of the European continent.