By interpreting the handing over of a letter as a small ritual imbued with a whole rangeof (symbolic) signs, this article wants to examine the role of urban correspondence in thecreation of political networks. First, the messenger was dressed in the colours of the cityadorned with a silver badge. Second, the letter itself bore a seal illustrated with importantelements of urbanity. Finally, the layout of late medieval letters revealed a great dealabout the internal relationship between sender and addressee. By using this formalaspects, medieval cities created a hierarchic urban network.
