Deutsche Hansa

Hansa was a trading alliance between several European cities running strong in the 13^th-17^th centuries.  Hamburg and Luebeck were the first cities to create a merchant association in the 12^th century.  Luebeck had fish and transportation, but Hamburg had the salt to preserve it.  Their idea gave other cities something to follow and thus becoming the Hanseatic League.  Next thing you know Cologne, Danzig, and other Baltic port cities were involved, totaling over 60 cities.     Luebeck was lucky though, not only were they an imperial city (answering to the emperor alone), but they were also the central point in the Baltic trading. 

The cargo being salt, herring, grain, timber, honey, etc. were not stars by any means, but they were a steady stream of income and the Hansa had a monopoly on most of it. Because of their cargo and quantity, they designed a new ship that rivaled the old Viking ships, carrying 2-10 times more lasts (each last is about 2 metric ton).

The expanding cargo loads weren’t the only thing the Hansa had to worry about.  Pirates were very common and so was an upset Denmark king.  He wanted profits from the fishing in his territory and so he started some scuffles to get it.  After several fights and a few decades, the Germans took back control.  However, this started the decline of the Hansa.  People kept their normal jobs, herring moved locations, and the English started creating better ships.  Although the Hansa continued for a few more centries, their power was lost by the end of the 15^th century. 

 

 

The Hanseatic League. (2014, September 17). Retrieved from bellatlantic: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~baronfum/hansa.html