The Hanseatic League was not so much a league of cities as it was a league of merchant associations within the cities of Northern Germany and the Baltic.

Trade in the middle ages was a dangerous and the only way for merchants to protect themselves was by traveling together. This banding together of merchants on the road led to their alliances at home as well.

The trade between the merchant associations of Hamburg and Luebeck provided a model for the merchant associations of the other North German cities to follow. In 1201 Cologne, already wealthy, joined the league. Danzig, whose port was a gateway to the eastern Baltic also joined as did most of the important Baltic port cities. By the height of the Hansa's power merchants from over sixty cities had joined the association.

Because of the dangers involved with shipping cargos, especially since there was no such thing as insurance, the common practice was to form partnerships and have each merchant buy a share of a cargo or a share of a ship. By spreading your investment over several cargos and shipping them on several ships the risk of a catastrophic loss was reduced.

Eventually the Hanseatic League was so powerful they sent men to fight in wars and financed many battles. The town of Lubeck became a central point for all sea trade coming in and out of the Baltic. - View comments...

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