Although the town of Chartres was under the judicial and tax authority of the Counts of Blois, the area immediately surrounding the cathedral, known as the cloître, was in effect a free-trade zone governed by the church authorities, who were entitled to the taxes from all commercial activity taking place there.
Her ne kadar Chartres şehri, Blois Kontunun idaresi altındaysa da, katedralin yakın çevresi kilisenin kontrolü altında olan bir serbest ticaret bölgesiydi ve burada yapılan her türlü ticari aktiviteden kilise tarafından vergi alınmaktaydı.