STORY OF THE HANSA TOWNS. PROEM.

PERIOD I.

PERIOD II.

PERIOD III.

Title: The Hansa Towns

Author: Helen Zimmern

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau, Melissa McDaniel,
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
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The Story of the Nations.

THE HANSA TOWNS.

THE
HANSA TOWNS

BY
HELEN ZIMMERN
AUTHOR OF "A LIFE OF LESSING," "HEROIC TALES FROM FIRDUSI," ETC.

London
T. FISHER UNWIN
26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE

NEW YORK: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
MDCCCLXXXIX

Entered at Stationers' Hall
By T. FISHER UNWIN

Copyright by G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1889
(For the United States of America).

PREFACE.

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In bringing before the public what I believe to be the first History of the Hanseatic League, it gives me pleasure to think that the impetus to write it came from the United States. The work was suggested to me by my valued friend, Mr. G. H. Putnam, of New York, a citizen of the country in which the principle of federation is best understood and most thoroughly carried out. The Hansa was one of the earliest representatives of that federal spirit which will, beyond doubt, some day help to solve many of the heavy and grievous problems with which we of the Old World are struggling; but that day is not yet, and meantime we have much to learn both from the successes and failures of the past.

I have, of course, assumed in my readers some knowledge of German History, such as they can derive from Professor Bryce's inimitable "Holy Roman Empire," or from Baring-Gould's "Story of Germany," one of the earlier volumes of this series.

In conclusion, I desire to express my very cordial thanks to Dr. Otto Benecke, Keeper of the State Archives of the city of Hamburg, and to my uncle, Dr. Carl Leo, Syndic of the same town, for the generosity with which they have accorded me valuable assistance in the preparation of this volume. I have further to thank Miss L. Toulmin Smith for help in revision of the MS., and for many useful suggestions. To my sister, Miss Alice Zimmern, and to Dr. Richard Garnett, of the British Museum, I am indebted for aid in proof-reading.

HELEN ZIMMERN.

Florence,
March 1, 1889.

CONTENTS.

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		page
Preface		vii
Proem		1-7
	PERIOD I.
	I.
The Dawn of a Great Trade Guild		11-20
	Teutonic Merchants, 15—Travelling in Early Times, 17—Origin of the Guilds, 19.
	II.
Federation		21-29
	The Story of "Winetha," 23—The Island of Gothland, 25—"Salt Kolberg," 27—Unhansing, 29.
	III.
Foreign Trade		30-47
	Social Conditions, 31—Enslavement of the Middle Class, 35—Italian Influences, 37—Burgher Home Rule, 43—League of the Baltic Towns, 45—The Title "Hansa," 47.
	IV.
The Hansa Fights		48-69
	The Herring Fisheries, 49—Waldemar, 51—The First Attack, 53—Sack of Wisby, 55—Copenhagen Plundered, 57—Punishment of Wittenborg, 59—The Cologne Federation, 61—Growing Strength of the League, 63—Flight of Waldemar, 65—Treaty of Stralsund, 67—A Curious Chapter in History, 69.
	PERIOD II.
	THE HISTORY OF THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE, FROM 1370 TO THE PUBLIC PEACE OF 1495, DECREED IN GERMANY BY MAXIMILIAN I.
	I.
LÜbeck Receives an Imperial Visitor		73-81
	Hesitation of LÜbeck, 75—Procession from St. Gertrude's Chapel, 77—LÜbeck Hospitality, 79—Records of the Visit, 81.
	II.
The Towns in the Fourteenth Century		82-125
	The Ban of the Hansa, 83—Submission of Brunswick, 85—Prominence of the Cities, 87—Population of LÜbeck, 89—Characteristics of the Germans, 91—Independence of the Towns, 93—The Maritime Ports, 95—Exports of the Hansa, 97—Conditions of Trade, 101—Specie, Credit, and Bills, 103—The Extent of MediÆval Trade, 105—The Churches and Religious Buildings, 107—Hanseatic Architecture and Art, 109—Science and Literature, 111—The May Emperor, 113—Customs, Restrictions, and Regulations, 117—Luxury in Dress, 119—The Town Council, 121—The Town-hall, 123—MediÆval Patriotism, 125.
	III.
The Victual Brothers		126-136
	Plunder of Bergen, 127—Stortebeker, 129—Simon of Utrecht, 131—Execution of Stortebeker, 133.
	IV.
The Factory of Bergen		137-147
	History of Bergen, 139—Shoemaker's Alley, 141—Constitution of the Factory, 143—Barbarous Practices, 147.
	V.
The Hanseatic Commerce with Denmark, Sweden, and Russia		148-162
	SkÂnoe and Falsterbo, 149—The Pious Brotherhood of MalmÖ, 151—The Hansa at Novgorod, 153—The Court of St. Peter, 155—Furs, Metals, Honey, and Wax, 157—The Lombards versus the Hansa, 159—Ivan the Terrible Sacks Novgorod, 161.
	VI.
The Commerce of the League with the Netherlands and Southern Europe		163-178
	The Flemish Trade Guilds, 165—Hansa Factory at Bruges, 167—Suspension of Trade with Flanders, 169—Trade with Antwerp, 171—Relations with France, 173—The Hansa in Portugal and Italy, 175—Italian Culture in South Germany, 177.
	VII.
The Steelyard in London		179-201
	The Hanseatic Rothschilds, 181—Hanseatics Hated by the People, 183—Rupture with England, 185—The Key to the City's Commerce, 187—Description of the Steelyard, 189—Inner Life of the Factory, 191—The English Conciliated, 193—DepÔts throughout England, 195—The Hansa's Part in Ceremonies, 199—Religion of the English Hanseatics, 201.
	VIII.
The Organization of the Hanseatic League		202-208
	The Diets, 203—Minutes of the Diet's Proceedings, 205.
	PERIOD III.
	THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE HANSA.
Introduction		211-216
	Decay of the Feudal System, 213—The Thirty Years' War, 215.
	I.
Storm Clouds		217-235
	Charles V. of Germany, 219—Gustavus Appeals to LÜbeck, 223—Cruelty of Christian II., 225—Gustavus Lands in Sweden, 227—LÜbeck Aids Gustavus, 229—Christian II. deposed, 231—Christian II. Abjures Lutheranism, 233—Christian's Memory, 235.
	II.
King Frederick and King Gustavus Vasa		236-239
	"Put not thy trust in Princes," 237—Gustavus Quarrels with LÜbeck, 239.
	III.
Wullenweber		240-282
	The Religious Movement, 241—LÜbeck Espouses Lutheranism, 243—Max Meyer, 245—Capture of Spanish Ships, 247—Christopher of Oldenburg, 251—Congress at Hamburg, 253—Wullenweber's Projects, 255—Disorder in LÜbeck, 257—Hostilities in Denmark, 259—Escape of Max Meyer, 261—Battle of Assens, 263—Cologne's Reproach, 265—Nicholas BrÖmse, 267—Resignation of Wullenweber, 269—Imprisonment of Wullenweber, 271—The Rack, 275—Unfair Trial, 277—Execution of Wullenweber, 279.
	IV.
The Hansa Loses its Colonies		283-305
	Emancipation of Sweden, 285—New Route to Russia, 287—History of Livonia, 289—Livonia Repudiates the Hansa, 291—Ivan Seizes Livonia, 293—Stupefaction of Germany, 295—War Against Sweden, 297—Warning of the Duke of Alva, 299—Bornholm Ceded to Denmark, 301—Embassy to the Muscovite Court, 303—The League Dissolves, 305.
	V.
The League in the Netherlands		306-323
	Causes of Failure in the West, 307—Dissension Among the Towns, 309—DepÔt Established at Antwerp, 311—Dangerous Innovations, 315—General Insecurity of Commerce, 317—Insubordination of the Hanseatics, 319—The Antwerp Factory in Danger, 321—Trade with the Low Countries, 323.
	VI.
The End of the Hansa's Dominion in England		324-353
	Restrictions on the English Trade, 325—Complaints of the Londoners, 329—Trade Regulations Broken, 331—Queen Mary Favours the Hansa, 333—English Grievances, 335—Negotiations with Elizabeth, 337—Internal Disunion, 339—The Steelyard Insubordinate, 341—Hamburg Adjusts its Policy, 343—The Good Old Privileges, 345—Conservative LÜbeck, 347—Seizure of Hanseatic Vessels, 349—Expulsion of Hanseatics from England, 351—The Steelyard Property, 353.
	VII.
The Thirty Years' War Kills the League		354-364
	Gustavus Adolphus, 355—Wallenstein's Project, 357—Imperial Graciousness, 359—The War Storm Breaks, 361.
	VIII.
The Survivors		365-378
	"Sic transit gloria mundi," 369—Napoleon and the Three Cities, 371—Note,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Clyx.com