The Lombard Iron Masters Migrations and the Spread of the Blast Furnace in Europe, with a Focus on the 16th-17th Centuries

Abstract

The spread of the blast furnace in some parts of Europe was connected to the migration of miners, iron masters, charcoal burners and  entrepreneurs from the Alpine valleys of the Lombard Iron Basin, from what are now the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia (Italy). The authors have gathered all the published evidence from many different sources and arranged it in geographical and chronological  order. The preliminary results of the study show that masters provided what we may call an integrated approach to iron production:  from the mine to the forge with the optional support of charcoal burners. It seems that they tried to keep their technological knowledge as a trade secret. They were hired trough middlemen, of whom we only know that they acted as intermediaries between  the masters and the private entrepreneurs or the rulers. One important reason for the spread of blast furnaces can be seen in the  increase in conflicts at the end of the 15^th century. These led to a need for blast furnaces in areas of Europe where they had not  previously existed.