The Commerce Of Denmark, Besides Its Common Origin With That Of The Rest Of
Scandinavia, Seems, In The Middle Ages, To Have Been Chiefly Nourished By
Two Circumstances:
- The trade which Iceland carried on, and the
establishment of Bergen, first as the staple of the German merchants, and
afterwards as the chief factory of the Hanse merchants.
In 1429, it was
also established by the king of Denmark, as the sole staple for the fish
trade. In 1553, its trade began to decline, in consequence, it is said, of
its being deserted by the Hanseatics. The historian of the Hanseatic League
adds, that "whereas the ancient toll of the Sound had been only a golden
rose-noble on every sail, which was always understood to be meant on every
ship; the court of Denmark had for some time past put a new and arbitrary
construction on the word sail, by obliging all ships to pay a rose-noble
for every sail on, or belonging to each ship". In consequence of this, the
Vandalic-Hanse Towns, or those on the south shores of the Baltic, deserted
the Bergen trade.
The same sovereign, however, who increased the tolls of the Sound,
counterpoised the bad effects of this measure, by the encouragement he gave
to manufactures and commerce; in this he was seconded by the Danish gentry,
who began to carry on merchandize and factorage themselves, and also
established manufactories. Copenhagen at this time was the staple for all
Danish merchandize, especially corn, butter, fish, &c.
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