The Hanseatic League: Germany's Medieval Trade Empire

Before Bismarck, before the Kaiser, before the Wall fell — there was the Hanseatic League. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the rise and fall of the medieval trading network that connected Germany to the world. From the salt herring of Scania to the furs of Novgorod, from the counting houses of Lübeck to the docks of Bruges, the Hanse shaped commerce, law, and politics across the Baltic and North Seas. Learn about the invention of the cog, the role of the Kontore, the war with Denmark, and the eventual decline as nation-states rose. Discover how a federation of merchant guilds became a naval power and left a legacy visible today in city architecture and even in the Eurozone's Hanseatic spirit. Specific names and terms: Lübeck, Hamburg, Bremen, Visby, Novgorod, Bergen, Bruges, London, Steelyard, Kontor, Hansetag, cog, Admirality, Treaty of Stralsund, Walther von der Vogelweide, King Valdemar IV, Queen Margaret I, Erik of Pomerania. #HanseaticLeague #Lübeck #Hamburg #BalticSea #MedievalTrade #Cog #Kontor #Hansetag #Novgorod #Bruges #Steelyard #TreatyOfStralsund #KingValdemarIV #QueenMargaretI #MedievalHistory #GermanHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo