Show or hide comments about the document.
Search over the document's text.
Share the document through social networks or e-mail.
After selecting an area on the page.
...you can:
copy the text
share the segment
comment
cite the document

Fall 2007

ISSN 0890-913X

Volume 23, Number 1

Categories: History | Fall 2007

The Hanseatic League and Freedom of Trade

Leonard P. Liggio, Atlas Economic Research Foundation

Download

e-mail

<< Back to editing
Previous version by
<< Older
Newer >>
Revert to this one

Edit
Cancel
Fullscreen

Show comments
Zoom:
Page: / 8

Line spacing:
Word spacing:

Search:FindClose

search results

JournalofPdvateEnterprise,VolumeXXIII,Number1,Fall2007TheHanseaticLeagueandFreedomofTradeLeonardP.LiggioAtlasEconomicResearchFoundationGeorgeMasonUniversitySchoolofLawTheHanseaticLeaguewasanunusualentity.ItwasembeddedintheHolyRomanEmpireoftheGermanNation(foundedin800ADandendedin1806AD).But,thereweremanykings,princes,dukes,barons,bishops,abbots,andfreecitiesunderthecloakoftheHolyRomanEmpire.Infact,freecitieswereaveryimportantpartoftheHolyRomanEmpire.Thefreecitiesheldchartersofself-governmentfromtheEmperor,afterpaymentofafee.TheGermanHansabeganasassociationsofnorthGermanmerchants,andinthemid-fourteenthcenturydevelopedintoauniqueentity,anassociationofcities.Merchantsenatesruledthefreecities.TheHansacomprisedalmost200maritimeandinteriorcities(alongrivers).ItextendedfromBrugesandGhentinFlandersandLondoninthewesttotheRepublicofNovgorodinwesternRussiaandTallinnontheGulfofFinlandintheeast;fromBergeninthenorthtomiddleGermanyinthesouth.But,HansaactivitiesextendedtoVenicewheretherewasthefamousGermanfondacio(factory)whereGermanmerchantslivedandwarehousedtheirgoods.TheBaltic(EastSea)andtheNorthSeawereatthecenteroftheHansa.InthecontextofthemerelyformalnatureoftheHolyRomanEmpire,theHansaconducteditsowndiplomacytomaintainitsaccesstotradeanditsownnavalstrength(armedmerchantvessel)toprotectitscommerceagainstunrestrainedgovernments.TheHanseaticLeaguehadnofinances,armyorfleetofitsown.ThereLeonardP.Liggio134

GLIFOS-digital_archive

Metadata [hide]

Title	The Hanseatic League and Freedom of Trade
Authors/Creators:	Leonard P. Liggio, Atlas Economic Research Foundation
Year:	2007
Volume:	23
Number:	1
Pages:	134 - 141
Publisher:	The Association of Private Enterprise Education
ISSN:	0890-913X
Document Type:	Articles
Keywords:	Law merchant, Trade, Hanseatic League, International commercial relations, Economic freedom, City

Citation:
Liggio, Leonard P. / 2007. "The Hanseatic League and Freedom of Trade." The Journal of Private Enterprise, 23(1): 134-141.