3,257
edits
Changes
→Later Developments
In effect, what emerged, as key international trade routes such as the Silk Road developed, was gold became of the key commodities that supported the value of trade items such as silk, metals, spices, and other substances traded. The Roman's, with their important trade role, spread the use of silver and gold coins to different areas of their empire in Europe. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the minting of coins had halted in many regions, particularly northern Europe. However, the Byzantine Empire continued to mint gold coins and the <i>bezant</i> became a standard used by that Empire. The Byzantine Empire dominated Mediterranean trade and southern European trade in the early Medieval period, leading to the gold standard becoming paramount. Gold continued to be used along the Silk Road and related trade routes.
In Europe, developing kingdoms, such as those developed by the Anglo-Saxons and Franks, began to use silver rather than gold. Silver, thus, became the main standard over gold in Europe. It was only under the reign of Queen Anne in the early 18th century, and particularly after the Napoleonic Wars, that gold began to become important again in the role it played in the economy. The British specie began to be the standard that was used in the 18th and 19th centuries, where laws in the early 19th century helped to solidify its role. As Britain's trade empire increased, along with its trade influence, the gold standard, once again, began to spread across the globe, similar to how it did during the Classical period.
==Deep Impacts of Gold==
