Note 577 — Chapter XII
Reading edition
The following are the most important dates in connection with the history of this celebrated confederacy.
Great German Hansa established A.D. 1241, with the view of clearing the Baltic and adjacent coasts of pirates. Their first cities were Lubeck and Hamburg, then Bremen, ultimately Bergen and Brunswick; they were supported, generally, by the emperors as a commercial counterpoise to the feudal nobility—Lubeck was chosen as queen of the Hansa.
In 1281 the citizens of the Hanseatic League were placed on the same footing as those of London.
From A.D. 1303 to 1475 they possessed many houses in London, with a jury, half English, half foreign, to try their causes, and two English aldermen to act as their chiefs. This was the period of their greatest power. The power of the League began to decline in 1547, after the death in this year of Henry VIII. Though Edward VI. renewed their privileges, the English “Merchant Adventurers” proved too strong for them.
In 1666 their buildings of the Steel-yard were burnt in the great fire of London, but were reconstructed in 1680.
In 1852 the premises of the Hanseatic League were finally alienated, and are now built over by the Cannon Street railway station.