| In the later Middle Ages there was an alliance of | | | | surrounding the Baltic Sea recognized this and |
| trading guilds that controlled all of the business | | | | enjoyed their own success from joining into an |
| over Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region. | | | | alliance. This helped all German cities achieve a |
| This was the Hanseatic League. | | | | level of dominance in trade over that area, in the |
| Hansa is a German term for "guilds. The Baltic | | | | 12th to 15th centuries. Traders from Saxony and |
| Sea area had always been the subject of piracy, | | | | Westphalia could use Lubeck as a point to spread |
| raids and unorganized trade but the scale of these | | | | east and north. |
| ventures never reached an international scope. | | | | There had been guilds appearing in the Baltic area |
| The Hanseatic League changed all that. In 1158-59 | | | | before the Hanseatic League. They had the |
| the German town of Lubeck, now the second | | | | intention of trading with overseas areas that |
| largest city in northern Germany, was rebuilt by | | | | were ripe for trade and profit. At first the |
| Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, after he had | | | | Swedish city of Visby was the central point for |
| captured it from Adolf the Second of Holstein. | | | | guilds in the Baltic area. With an over abundance |
| This would one day be the cornerstone of the | | | | of merchants joining the guilds, the German |
| league. | | | | traders began to have their own trading stations. |
| Henry the Lion was one of the most powerful | | | | They eventually formed what were called Hanse |
| princes in his time (b. 1129- d. 1195) and is known | | | | and began acquiring special trade privileges with |
| as the founder of Munich and Lubeck. Lubeck | | | | royalty and other cities. The location of their main |
| became a central point for all sea trade coming in | | | | port of Lubeck gave them easy trade with Russia |
| and out of the Baltic and most of the cities | | | | and Scandinavia. |