In the Late Middle Ages, one chemical became a driving force in the economy, even forming the source of a cartel by the Papacy. Potash Alum [KAl (SO4)2] is a chemical compound that occurs naturally as crystals in some encrustacions (see second photo). It enables cell walls to harden – it can give a dill pickle its crunch, but it also can fix dyes. In Medieval Italy, the wool industry was big money, and Potash Alum was a hot item because of the way it could brighten colors and keep the dyes in wool even after it was laundered – you can see the first image of wool dyers coloring their materials. When miners found a source of the Potash Alum in the Papal States area in 1461, the Italians knew they could make their own, rather than importing it from the Middle East as they had been doing. Soon the Papacy was able to set the price on this chemical compound, and effectively regulated the mining, trading, production, and refinement of it. Much of the Medici’s family wealth was at one point attached to this item, which eventually could be artificially created.
Source(s): Gizmodo, “There were once Papal cartels moving this chemical through Europe.” 10/30/15. Esther Inglis-still. 1482 BL Royal MS 15 E iii, f269.,
