Law of Lubeck: Hanseatic League (Day 4 hmwrk)

During the time of the Hanseatic League many cities were under their own “Hansa laws.” The Hanseatic League was a system of trade that took place in countries all over Europe in the early 1200's. The route covered 16 different countries with about 200 cities during its height. Countries came together and formed Hansa laws to help provide protection to the merchants and goods that they brought. With an agreement to abide by these rules they also decided to meet every year to make changes if needed to further deal with the persistent dangers, and threats of thieves, bandits, and pirates. One of the most well known laws people were governed by was the “law of Lubeck.” The law of Lubeck was written as follows:

                                                                                                                                                                   "(1) Each city shall, to the best of her ability, keep the sea clear of pirates, so that merchants may    freely carry on their business by sea. (2) Whoever is expelled from one city because of a crime shall not be received in another. (3) If a citizen is seized [by pirates, robbers, or bandits] he shall not be ransomed, but his sword-belt and knife shall be sent to him [as a threat to his captors]. (4) Any merchant ransoming him shall lose all his possessions in all the cities which have the law of Lübeck. (5) Whoever is proscribed in one city for robbery or theft shall be proscribed in all. (6) If a lord besieges a city, no one shall aid him in any way to the detriment of the besieged city, unless the besieger is his lord. (7) If there is a war in the country, no city shall on that account injure a citizen from the other cities, either in his person or goods, but shall give him protection. (8) If any man marries a woman in one city, and another woman from some other city comes and proves that he is her lawful husband, he shall be beheaded. (9) If a citizen gives his daughter or niece in marriage to a man [from another city], and another man comes and says that she is his lawful wife, but cannot prove it, he shall be beheaded."

What was especially important about the Hanseatic league was that it brought many countries and cities together for one common goal, as well as,  joined them together in legal matters and government, and brought the formation of allies.

"Hanseatic League." Hanseatic League. University of Oregon, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://pages.uoregon.edu/kimball/grd.Hanse.htm>.