Page 69 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol III

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joined.While the majority of the league’s members were trade in Denmark. This control over trade in northern
from northern Germany, it did include cities in Holland Europe continued into the fifteenth century until an
and Poland. At the height of its power, the federation unsuccessful war with Holland forced the Hanseatic
consistedofover165membercities.Theleague originally League to sign the Peace of Copenhagen in 1441,
functioned only to facilitate common commercial ven- breaking the league’s hold on the Baltic Sea.
tures, not for political or religious purposes. Each mem- By the beginning of the sixteenth century, the league
ber city’s merchant association could send delegates, if it had begun a slow decline in both its power and mem-
wished, to the league’s formal meetings (diets), which bership.The disappearance of the local herring fisheries
were held at Lübeck to discuss economic policies. The and the growth of the English and Dutch merchant
attending delegates took the diet’s economic decisions marines resulted in increased competition, which the
back to their city for their local merchant association to league was unable to overcome, and soon led to the
accept or reject.The Hanseatic League’s economic strat- loss of exclusive trading markets for Hanseatic mem-
egy was designed to protect the trading privileges of its bers. While the league was never formally dissolved, its
members, to open new markets for exploitation, and to last official meeting was held in 1669.
create monopolies wherever possible.The economic suc-
R. Scott Moore
cess of the league’s members soon led it into political con-
flict with the king of Denmark,Valdemar IV, over control
of local herring fisheries. After an initial setback, the
league defeated the king and forced him to sign the Treaty Further Reading
of Stralsund in 1370. This treaty made sweeping eco- Dollinger, P. (1970). The German Hansa. Stanford, CA: Stanford Uni-
versity Press.
nomic concessions to the Hanseatic League and gave the
Lewis, A. R., & Runyan,T. J. (1985). European naval and maritime his-
member cities privileged trading rights, including free tory 300–1500. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.