As The Grand Object Of The League Was To Secure To Themselves The Profits
Arising From The Mutual Supply Of The North And South Of Europe, With The
Merchandize Of Each, They Had Agents In France, Spain, &C. As Well As In
The Countries On The Baltic.
England, at this period, did not carry on much
commerce, nor afford much merchandize or produce for exportation; yet even
in it the Hanseatic League established themselves.
Towards the end of the
thirteenth century they had a factory in London, and were allowed to export
wool, sheep's skins, and tin, on condition that they kept in repair the
gate of the city called Bishopsgate: they were also allowed the privilege
of electing an alderman.
Bruges, which is said to have had regular weekly fairs for the sale of the
woollen manufactures of Flanders so early as the middle of the tenth
century, and to have been fixed upon by the Hanseatic League, in the middle
of the thirteenth, as an entrepot for their trade, certainly became, soon
after this latter period, a city of great trade, probably from its
connection with the Hanseatic League, though it never was formally admitted
a member. We shall afterwards have occasion to notice it in our view of the
progress of the Hanseatic League.
As the commerce of the League encreased and extended in the Baltic, it
became necessary to fix on some depot. Wisby, a city in the island of
Gothland, was chosen for this purpose, as being most central. Most
exaggerated accounts are given of the wealth and splendour to which its
inhabitants rose, in consequence of their commercial prosperity. It is
certain that its trade was very considerable, and that it was the resort of
merchants and vessels from all the north of Europe: for, as the latter
could not, in the imperfect state of navigation, perform their voyage in
one season, their cargoes were wintered and lodged in magazines on shore.
At this city was compiled a code of maritime laws, from which the modern
naval codes of Denmark and Sweden are borrowed; as those of Wisby were
founded on the laws of Oleren, (which will be noticed when we treat of the
commerce of England during this period,) and on the laws of Barcelona, of
which we have already spoken; and as these again were, in a great measure,
borrowed from the maritime code of Rhodes.
But to return to the more immediate history of the Hanseatic
League, - about the year 1369 their power in the Baltic was so great, that
they engaged in a successful war with the king of Denmark, and obliged him,
as the price of peace, to deliver to them several towns which were
favourably situated for their purpose.
The Hanseatic League, though they were frequently involved in disputes, and
sometimes in wars, with France, Flanders, Holland, Denmark, England, and
other powers, and though they undoubtedly aimed at, not only the monopoly,
but also the sovereignty of the Baltic, and encroached where-ever they were
permitted to fix themselves, yet were of wonderful service to civilization
and commerce.
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