Over the course of the 14th century, Kutná Hora witnessed the constitution of professional organizations of mineworkers. The operation of these corporations, which were founded upon a principal similar to classical trade guilds, was nevertheless marked by certain specificities. A significant portion of literature to date has therefore operated based on the thesis of the fundamental distinctiveness of these corporations from classical trade guilds. This study attempts to prove the validity of this thesis, and this through the background of the most unique and most numerous corporation of Kutná Hora, the mining community. The transformation of its status in the second half of the 15th century thus allows us to approach the character of both types of organizations, and also certain terminological problems linked to the naming of corporations of mine workers.
The study strives to complexly understand the tools the mining community used to represent itself within the society of Kutná Hora. The miners were not among the wealthy nor those that were exposed in society, although their corporation was well respected and its representations were visible in various contexts of municipal life. The esteem in which the mining community was held balanced the insignificant position of the miners themselves within the entire community. This also created a demand for power that the miners did not hesitate to use beginning at the end of the 15th century. Thanks to its skilful communication and reasoning of its importance, the mining community was able to force its will and influence political decisions.