Dutch trade with the Baltic Sea region 1122-1499

Compiled by H.A. Poelman

Mediaeval trade in the Baltic Sea region covered an area that stretched from towns on the North coast of present-day Germany right down to the Baltic republics. Trade from Dutch territories shifted from towns in Friesland and Groningen via the Hanseatic towns on the IJssel and Zuyder Zee to the Dutch provinces of Holland and Zeeland. Frictions with the Hanseatic League ensued as a direct result of the stronger position held by towns in Holland and Zealand in the expanding trade with the Baltic Sea area.

The series was set up with a view to publishing subsequent volumes on the 16th century up to and including the 18th century (see also the project on Trade with the Baltic Sea region 1588-1625). This publication is intended to provide a background for the history of this most important trade and contains items from the 12th century up to and including the 15th century. This documentary edition from 1917 was intended to complement the massive German documentary editions on Hanseatic history that existed at the time.

The edition mainly comprises known (previously published) sources and is supplemented with archivalia. It focuses primarily on qualitative sources and includes many charters, tracts, and official letters. These have been published as abstracts and lists of transcripts in Volume I. Volume II contains longer texts as well and a few bills and inventories. The archive material comes from Dutch archives, with some additional material from Danzig, Koningsbergen, Hamburg and Wismar.