E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Royal Merchant.
In the thirteenth century the Venetians were masters of the sea, and some of their wealthy merchants—as the Sanu’dos, the Justinia’ni, the Grimal’di, and others—erected principalities in divers places of the Archipelago, which their descendants enjoyed for many centuries. These self-created princes were called “royal merchants.” (Warburton.)
Sir Thomas Gresham was called a “royal merchant.”
