Religious fraternities were formed in Dubrovnik primarily out of religious motives already in the 13th century, and their formation soon assumed a social and humanitarian character. Somewhat later, especially in the 15th and the 16th centuries, when the development of trade led to a strong development of crafts, other different types of associations began to be formed as well in which mostly people of the same or similar occupations gathered. Initially, these were religious associations that over time acquired the characteristics of craft corporations, guilds, or fraternities of craftsmen and merchants. In general, there were two types of fraternities in the Republic of Dubrovnik: religious fraternities and fraternities of craftsmen and merchants. The oldest among them, formed in the 13th century, are the religious fraternities Flagellatori ossia frustatori and the fraternity of St. Mikael de arboribus de Gravosio. The oldest craft fraternity was the fraternity of carpenters, and many other fraternities were founded later (for example: fraternities of goldsmiths, butchers, shopkeepers, stonemasons, blacksmiths, shoemakers, furriers, tailors, barbers, masons, etc.). Fraternities of St. Anthony and St. Lazarus were very respectable fraternities of merchants.