Before the Dutch Golden Age (17th century), when the Dutch conquered an empire stretching all over the globe, briefly rivaling even the British Empire, there was another period in which the economy bloomed. The dutch state where civilians and merchants ruled, instead of Kings, Emperors, Dukes, Earls and Counts, did not exist yet,  but another economic power governed by civilians had risen: The Hanze.

The Hanze

It was the Middle Ages in northwest Europe and most of the land was ruled by nobility. There were castles owned by knights who served these nobles and the farmers were often owned as property by these knights.

Same for the cities, but the cities that were lucky enough to have a harbour which was somehow connected to the sea and ocean, gained power by trade. They earned money and were able to resist and rebel against the nobility that demanded taxes. Soon cities began to unite and a treaty was signed. This union of cities which grew larger when trade got them wealthier, could pay for an army and was able to defend itself against the ruling class.

Here’s a map of large and small towns that joined in The Hanze.

The Wandelgek and The Hanze

The Wandelgek was born in the southern dutch city of Venlo where he lived for about 21 years. Then he moved to Nijmegen where he lived for 2 (to 2.5 years) and then he moved to Deventer where he lived for about 37 years now. All rhese cities were Hanseatic Towns.

To be honest, when The Wandelgek lived in Venlo and Nijmegen he never knew this, but when he moved to Deventer he soon learned about the Hanseatic history of his new hometown and thereafter of the previous towns he had lived in.

The Wandelgek started travelling on his own, without his parents and brother, when he lived in Nijmegen and while travelling abroad, he first started travelling through north western Europe and this was the main area where The Hanze cities were located. Therefore he visited many of those, in The Netherlands, but also in other European countries.

Below is a compilation blogs that are about his visits to Hanseatic Towns and Kontors and they are filled with beautiful pics as well.

(It is not a history of The Hanze though).

Bergen

Stockholm

Visby

Reval (Tallinn)

London

Hannover

Keulen

Bremen

Brugge

Gent