Forces of the Hanseatic League

Author: David Nicolle
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782007814
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 127

Book Description
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.

Forces of the Hanseatic League

Author: David Nicolle
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 9781782007791
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The famous but largely unchronicled Hanseatic League (or simple "the Hanse/Hansa") was a Tuetonic German commercial and defensive federation of merchant guilds based in harbor towns along the North Sea and Baltic coasts of what are now Germany and her neighbors, 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. While most members remained basically subject to the local rulers who profited from their prosperity, in a sense the League might be seen as foreshadowing today's ambiguous relationship between global corporations and political nation states. 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.

The Hansa Towns

Author: Helen Zimmern
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 500

Book Description

Armies of the Balkan Wars 1912–13

Author: Philip Jowett
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 184908419X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
In 1912, the Balkan states formed an alliance in an effort to break free from the crumbling Ottoman Empire. Forming an army of some 645,000 troops from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenego, they took on a force of 400,000 Turkish soldiers. Both sides were equipped with the latest weapons technology. This book looks at the diverse and sometimes colourful uniforms worn by both sides, paying special attention to insignia, weapons and equipment. It also gives an overview of the campaigns that became a 'priming pan' of World War I.

Institutions of Hanseatic Trade

Author: Ulf Christian Ewert
Publisher: Peter Lang Gmbh, Internationaler Verlag Der Wissenschaften
ISBN: 9783631661833
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 196

Book Description
"The merchants of the medieval Hanse monopolised trade in the Baltic and North Sea areas. The authors describe the structure of their trade system in terms of network organisation and attempts to explain, on the grounds of institutional economics, the coordination of the merchants' commercial exchange by reputation, trust and culture. The institutional economics approach also allows for a comprehensive analysis of coordination problems arising between merchants, towns and the 'Kontore.' Due to the simplicity and flexibility of network trade, the Hansards could bridge the huge gap in economic development between the West and the East. In the changing economic conditions around 1500, however, exactly these characteristics proved to be a serious limit to further retain their trade monopoly"--Provided by publisher.

The German Hansa

Author: Philippe Dollinger
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 9780415190732
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 534

Book Description
First published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

A History of Europe

Author: W.T. Waugh
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317217039
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 570

Book Description
First published in 1932, this book looks at a period that has often been thought of as a time of general decline in the most characteristic features of medieval civilisation. While acknowledging decline in many areas during this period — the power of the Church, feudalism, guilds, the Hanseatic League, the autonomy of towns and the end of the two Roman empires — the author argues that there was also signs of development. National consciousness, the power of the bourgeoisie and trade and industry all rose markedly in this period alongside intellectual and artistic achievements outside of Italy. This book asserts that in amongst the failure and decline new forces were creating new substitutes.

The National System of Political Economy

Author: Friedrich List
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 422

Book Description

Medieval Maritime Warfare

Author: Charles D. Stanton
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473856299
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 653

Book Description
This sweeping history of maritime warfare through the Middle Ages ranges from the 8th century to the 14th, covering the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. After the fall of Rome, the sea becomes the center of conflict for Western Civilization. In a world of few roads and great disorder, it is where power is projected and wealth is sought. Yet, since this turbulent period in the history of maritime warfare has rarely been studied, it is little known and even less understood. In Medieval Maritime Warfare, Charles Stanton depicts the development of maritime warfare from the end of the Roman Empire to the dawn of the Renaissance, recounting the wars waged in the Mediterranean by the Byzantines, Ottomans, Normans, Crusaders, and the Italian maritime republics, as well as those fought in northern waters by the Vikings, English, French and the Hanseatic League. Weaving together details of medieval ship design and naval strategy with vivid depictions of seafaring culture, this pioneering study makes a significant contribution to maritime history.

Trade and Civilisation

Author: Kristian Kristiansen
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108425410
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 567

Book Description
Provides the first global analysis of the relationship between trade and civilisation from the beginning of civilisation until the modern era.