The Specifics of the Functioning of Lübeck Law in Narva within the Context of Hanseatic Trade in the 15th to the First Half of the 16th Century

Abstract

Medieval Narva was the easternmost city of Livonia, falling within the purview of Lübeck law. Due to a range of political and economic factors, Narva’s legal system experienced dynamic transformations throughout the 15th and the first half of the 16th centuries. Alongside the Lübeck code, norms of customary, seigniorial, and merchant law were in effect. This study delves into the evolution of Lübeck law and the city’s judicial system in the context of legal pluralism and is contextualized within the broader framework of Russian-Hanseatic trade. The research suggests that Narva’s legal system was tailored primarily to serve the economic and political interests of the city’s leadership. Lübeck law, serving as the official regulatory system for its citizens, seamlessly incorporated foreign elements, which, over time, were perceived as integral. Lübeck’s political and economic approaches towards Narva in the late 15th and early 16th centuries left a mark on several developmental facets of the city. From the last quarter of the 15th century onwards, Narva had the recourse to appeal to Lübeck as its supreme judicial authority, even though Revel initially held this position. A detailed examination of the city’s evolving legal structures, influenced by trade and political dynamics, will likely intrigue historians focused on the Baltic region as well as those specialized in legal history.