The Hanseatic League was a commercial and defensive federation of
merchant guilds based in harbour towns along the North Sea and
Baltic coasts of what are now Germany and her neighbours, which
eventually dominated maritime trade in Northern Europe and spread
its influence much further afield. The League was formed to protect
the economic and political interests of member cities throughout a
vast and complex trading network. The League continued to operate
well into the 17th century, but its golden age was between c.1200
and c.1500; thereafter it failed to take full advantage of the wave
of maritime exploration to the west, south and east of Europe.
During its 300 years of dominance the League's large ships - called
'cogs' - were at the forefront of maritime technology, were early
users of cannon, and were manned by strong fighting crews to defend
them from pirates in both open-sea and river warfare. The home
cities raised their own armies for mutual defence, and their riches
both allowed them, and required them, to invest in fortifications
and gunpowder weapons, since as very attractive targets they were
subjected to sieges at various times.
General
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