Why are the 'Lace Wars', mid 18th century wars fought by the British, so named?

zbeckabee

The following is from a game booklet, but does address the question: This series of games, called The Lace Wars, is intended to be a set of historical studies that will examine the conflicts of Europe from the late 17th to the middle of the 18th Century at an operational level. The term “Lace Wars” derives from the struggles between rival monarchies (and a few rogue republics) for control of the lucrative textile industries of the Low Countries, Central Europe, and the Po Valley. Mecheline lace was a highly prized commodity and the fortress town of Mecheline (Malines), on the border between Belgium and Holland, changed hands many times. Commodities such as lace and woollens were seen as critical components of the Mercantilist economic model. According to the theories of the time, the wealth and power of kings was to be based on good stewardship of their realms. http://redsashgames.com/Downloads/KR&O3.0%20copy/KR&Os3.0%20copy.pdf http://www.lacewars.co.uk/ http://www.annongul.i12.com/page_18.htm http://www.annongul.i12.com/page_9.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom#18th_Century Sep 08 09, 9:29 AM