<P> An important result of the guild framework was the emergence of universities at Bologna (established in 1088), Oxford (at least since 1096) and Paris (c. 1150); they originated as guilds of students as at Bologna, or of masters as at Paris . </P> <P> A type of guild was known in Roman times . Known as collegium, collegia or corpus, these were organised groups of merchants who specialised in a particular craft and whose membership of the group was voluntary . One such example is the corpus naviculariorum, the college of long - distance shippers based at Rome's La Ostia port . The Roman guilds failed to survive the collapse of the Roman Empire . </P> <P> In medieval cities, craftsmen tended to form associations based on their trades, confraternities of textile workers, masons, carpenters, carvers, glass workers, each of whom controlled secrets of traditionally imparted technology, the "arts" or "mysteries" of their crafts . Usually the founders were free independent master craftsmen who hired apprentices . </P> <P> There were several types of guilds, including the two main categories of merchant guilds and craft guilds but also the frith guild and religious guild . Guilds arose beginning in the High Middle Ages as craftsmen united to protect their common interests . In the German city of Augsburg craft guilds are being mentioned in the Towncharter of 1156 . </P>

What developed during the middle ages to organize members with similar interests or professions