DOCUMENTS ON THE HISTORY OF THE HANSEATIC TRADE IN LONDON. YEAR 1451

Abstract

This article contains the originals and translations of letters from the “Steelyard” and the Hamburg city council on reservation of privileges of Hanseatic merchants when trading in London. Due to that fact that the sources are a part of the merchant’s business correspondence, they are objective and informative. The documents are inscribed in a wide historical context characterized by a conflict escalation between the Hanseatic League and the British, that took place after British privateer attack on ships of Wendish and Prussian merchants. The sources analysis allows us to determine some features of the organization and functioning of the Anglo-Hanseatic exchange of commodity in the middle of the 15 century, as well as to identify relationship features of individual members of the Hanseatic League. In addition, the specific position of the Lübeck town council, that was interested in strengthening the role of Lübeck citizens for the “Steelyard” within the competition with other Hanseatic cities, firs of all Cologne, Hamburg and Danzig (Gdańsk) is considered.