The number and power of the merchants grows, as does their demand for education. Role of At the end of the Dark Ages, government begins to wrestle power from Government the Church. It sees that it has an interest in the growth of knowledge. This is early mercantilism. Knowledge and trade are seen to support each other's growth.
More trade means more taxes collected and more power for government.
Education Literacy is 1 to 3 percent. Growth of trade at the end of the Dark Ages increases literacy only slightly. In the worst periods many monarchs are not literate. There are few, often no schools of higher learning. Society is fuedal.