The following is an encore presentation of Everything Everywhere Daily.

One of the most successful enterprises of the Middle Ages

was a collection of free cities located in northern Germany and along the north and

Baltic seas. These cities created one of the greatest trade networks the world had

ever seen and for several centuries dominated trade and economics in Northern Europe.

It was the early prototype for successful trade organizations which would occur in the future.

Learn more about the Hansiatic League, also known as the Hansa,

on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. My personal story with the Hanseatic League dates back several years ago when I was traveling around

northern Germany. I was able to visit several of the Hanseatic League city such as

Lubeck, Strausland, Vizmar, and Bremen. I've been to many old European cities

and I was able to see some things which hammered home just how successful and important the Hansiatic League was.

But before I get to that story, let me explain what the Hansiatic League was and how it came to be.

One of the defining characteristics of the Middle Ages in Europe was the guild

system. The guild system served several functions. Guild served to restrict entry into occupations

decreasing competition. They offered a social network for members. It was a system

for perpetuating technical knowledge and perhaps most importantly it allowed them to

band together to protect themselves against kings and nobility.

These guilds also engaged in trade with other towns and cities.

In northern Germany these guilds were known as Hansa. In particular for the purpose of this

episode they were able to trade with a network of cities and towns located around

the north and Baltic seas. The founding of the Hansiatic League began with the city of Lubeck.

Lubeck was rebuilt in 1159 by Henry the Lion who was the Duke of Saxon-E-N-Bavaria.

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