Ep. 115: The Hanseatic League - 14th century Politics - The War with Denmark Part I
History of the Germans from the Middle Ages to Reunification
Dirk Hoffmann-Becking
4.9 • 551 Ratings
🗓️ 10 August 2023
⏱️ 37 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
By the end of the 13th century the key foundations of the Hanseatic League are laid. The trade routes that connect the Baltic to Western Europe are largely under the control of merchants who had come from Northern Germany and settled along the Baltic shore. Four great Kontors in Novgorord, Bergen, Bruges and London have been set up. The cities that make up the League, from Tallin to Cologne have gained city laws, built their walls and selected their city councils.
We are now entering the Calamitous 14th Century, a time of war, spiritual disorientation, plague and deteriorating climate. These four riders of the apocalypse devastate formerly flourishing lands and cities across Western Europe, delivering a sucker punch that brings 300 years of economic expansion to a screeching halt. But, as they say in Asterix, “all of Europe is occupied with the challenges of the 14th century. Well not entirely. There is a corner of the world where a league of merchant cities is heading for the zenith of its economic, financial and military power…”
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans, Episode 115, The War with Denmark, Part 1. |
| 0:12.2 | By the end of the 13th century, the key foundations of the Hanseatic League are laid. |
| 0:17.1 | The trade routes that connect the Baltic to Western Europe are largely under the control of |
| 0:21.0 | merchants who come from northern Germany and settled along the Baltic shore. |
| 0:26.1 | Four great contours in Novgorod, Bergen, Bruges and London have been set up. |
| 0:31.0 | The cities then make up the league from Tallinn to Cologne have gained city laws, built |
| 0:36.1 | their walls and selected their city councils. |
| 0:39.3 | We are now entering the calamitous 14th century. A time of war, spiritual disorientation, |
| 0:46.8 | plague and deteriorating climate. These four riders of the apocalypse devastate formerly flourishing |
| 0:53.2 | lands and cities across Western Europe, |
| 0:55.8 | delivering a sucker punch that brings 300 years of economic expansion to a screeching halt. |
| 1:01.6 | But, as they say in Asterix, all of Europe is occupied with the challenges of the 14th century? |
| 1:07.7 | Well, not entirely. |
| 1:09.9 | There is a corner of the world where a league of merchant |
| 1:13.0 | cities is heading for the zenith of its economic, financial and military power. |
| 1:20.3 | Now before we get into this fascinating subject, it's time to do my little plea for support |
| 1:24.7 | again. As the history of the Germans has grown and grown these |
| 1:28.2 | last two years, it has taken up more and more of my life. Now that's great for me because I |
| 1:34.0 | massively enjoy doing this, but it's bad news for my cash balance, since all that fun keeps me |
| 1:40.0 | from other money-generating activities. I have been offered a not insignificant boost to my income if I were to allow advertising |
| 1:47.5 | in the show, an offer I have rejected. |
| 1:51.0 | Which means the podcast remains advertising free and even more dependent on the support from |
... |
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