The Royal Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh, also known as the Merchant Company of Edinburgh or just the Merchant Company, is a company or society with a Royal Charter from 1681, but dating back to at least 1260. The Company or Confraternity was created to protect trading rights of the merchants of the royal burgh of Edinburgh. It also carries out a significant amount of charitable and educational work. Along with the Incorporated Trades it is one of the Guilds of the City of Edinburgh. The company historically formed part of the now defunct Corporation of the City of Edinburgh.
