Guild of Tenders Revenedors

The Gremi de Tenders Revenedors (Guild of Tenders Revenedors) is a historic commercial guild based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was founded on 12 September 1447, when Queen Maria of Castile, acting on behalf of her husband King Alfonso the Magnanimous, granted approval of the statutes of the confraternity of tenders revenedors of the city of Barcelona. Its original members were tenders (shopkeepers) and resellers of foodstuffs such as rice, noodles, honey, oils, barley, cheeses, salted tuna, sardines, anchovies, legumes, figs, raisins, dates, and other consumer products. The guild regulated market activity, set rules for shopkeeping and public sales, and provided mutual aid to members, including care for the sick, funerals, and relief for those in need. Over the centuries the guild adapted to changing legal and political circumstances. It was known under various legal forms, including the Confraria de Sant Miquel dels Tenders Revenedors (1447–1797), the Gremi dels Tenders Revenedors de Barcelona (1797–1843), and later mutual-aid associations. After the suppression of guilds in the 19th century, the entity transformed into a mutual aid society and eventually into a historical, cultural, and charitable association. Since the mid-19th century, membership has been hereditary, open only to descendants of the original guild families. Today the association has around 140 members and focuses on preserving its documentary, historical, and artistic heritage, as well as assisting its associates. The guild's patron saint is Saint Michael the Archangel, and it has a chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona, opposite its headquarters. The association remains active and maintains a museum and archive related to its history. Its website, museurevenedors.cat, is currently a domain parking page registered through DonDominio, indicating that the online presence may be under development or not fully active.

The Gremi de Tenders Revenedors was founded on 12 September 1447, when Queen Maria of Castile, representing her husband King Alfonso the Magnanimous, granted the privilege approving the statutes of the confraternity of tenders revenedors of the city of Barcelona. Its initial members were tenders (shopkeepers) and resellers of foodstuffs including rice, noodles, honey, oils, barley, cheeses, salted tuna, sardines, anchovies, legumes, figs, raisins, dates, and other consumer products. The founding act details the specific list. In its early period, the guild's social purpose was to address charitable matters such as watching over the sick, assisting with burials, and providing relief to those in need. It gradually incorporated regulatory aspects of commercial activity and labor issues, which were collected in amendments of 1486 approved by Infante Henry of Aragon and Pimentel. The guild was organized around prohoms elected from among its members to govern the institution and interpret the statutes in case of conflicts. Modifications to the statutes or amendments to specific points through ordinances were elevated by the prohoms to the Trentenari. Notable changes include the ordinances of 1613, which required passing an examination to run a shop, evaluating "good conduct." Among the obligations of a tender at that time were residing in the shop itself and personally handling sales. The guild also determined sales locations in public squares and pursued fraud or hoarding. The medieval conception of the guild's functions and activities persisted until the late 18th century, when new official provisions began to be issued, culminating in the decree of dissolution of guilds and the Mendizabal disentailment in 1835. A process of transformation with political consensus began between 7 August 1842 and 18 July 1843, leading to the creation of the Asociación de Socorros Mutuos entre Tenderos Revendedores, maintaining the patronage of Saint Michael the Archangel, a conversion ratified on 12 July 1847. From that point, members could engage in other professions, no longer had to be resellers, and did not have to pay dues. Membership also became hereditary through the line of primogeniture, a rule still in effect. Since then, the entity, despite the different legal forms it has had to adopt to survive under different administrations, has fulfilled its function with its associates, who are direct descendants of the former confraternity members and later guild members. The guild has used various legal forms: Confraria de Sant Miquel dels Tenders Revenedors de la ciutat de Barcelona (1447–1797); Gremi dels Tenders Revenedors de Barcelona (1797–1843); Pia Unión de Gremio de Tenderos Revenedores de Barcelona (1819–1843); Asociación de Socorros Mutuos entre Tenderos Revendedores de la Ciudad de Barcelona para el caso de enfermedad, bajo la advocación de san Miguel Arcàngel (1843–1910); Associació de Socors Mutus abans Gremi entre Tenders-Revenedors de Barcelona, baix l'advocació de Sant Miquel Arcàngel (1910–1936); Associació de Socors Mutus abans Gremi entre Tenders Revenedors de Barcelona, per a casos de malaltia, impossibilitació i mort (1936–1939); Asociación de Socorros Mutuos antes Gremio entre Tenderos Revendedores de Barcelona para casos de enfermedad, imposibilitación y muerte bajo la advocación de San Miguel Arcángel, patrón tutelar de la asociación (1939–1984); Associació de Socors Mutus de Previsió Social, abans Gremi entre Tenders Revenedors de Barcelona sota l'Advocació de Sant Miquel Arcàngel – Mutualitat de Previsió Social, a prima fixa (1984–2013); Associació Històrica, Cultural i Benèfica dels descendents de l'antic Gremi entre Tenders Revenedors de Barcelona, sota l'advocació de Sant Miquel Arcàngel, fundat l'any 1447 (2013–2018). Today the entity is known as the Associació Antic Gremi de Revenedors, 1447, and has around 140 members, heirs from the old families that formed the guild. It continues to watch over the welfare of its associates and to protect the documentary, historical, and artistic heritage left by their ancestors.

• 2013

  New legal form: Associació Històrica, Cultural i Benèfica dels descendents de l'antic Gremi.

• 1984

  New legal form: Associació de Socors Mutus de Previsió Social.

• 1910

  New legal form: Associació de Socors Mutus abans Gremi entre Tenders-Revenedors de Barcelona.

• 1847

  Conversion to mutual aid association ratified on 12 July.

• 1843

  Creation of the Asociación de Socorros Mutuos entre Tenderos Revendedores.

• 1835

  Decree of dissolution of guilds and Mendizabal disentailment end guild activity.

• 1797

  The confraternity becomes the Gremi dels Tenders Revenedors de Barcelona.

• 1613

  Ordinances require passing an examination to run a shop, evaluating good conduct.

• 1486

  Amendments approved by Infante Henry of Aragon and Pimentel incorporate regulatory and labor aspects.

• 1447

  Queen Maria of Castile approves the statutes of the confraternity of tenders revenedors of Barcelona on 12 September.

A historic guild turned heritage and mutual-aid association for descendants of Barcelona's food retailers and resellers.

Product categories. Rice · Noodles · Honey · Oils · Barley · Cheeses · Salted tuna · Sardines · Anchovies · Legumes · Figs · Raisins

1. 1museurevenedors.cat | Registrar a DonDominiomuseurevenedors.cat
2. 2Gremi de Tenders Revenedorswikidata.org
3. 3Gremi de Tenders Revenedorsca.wikipedia.org