“Commerce is one of the great agencies by which civilization is carried into savage life.”
–Mark Twain

The Hanseatic League was a powerful medieval trading alliance formed by German and Scandinavian merchants during the 13th to 17th centuries. This commercial and defensive confederation established a network of trading posts and controlled much of the Baltic and North Sea trade. The League’s influence extended from present-day Germany to Russia and influenced the economic and political landscape of Northern Europe. The Hanseatic League facilitated the growth of trade, fostered cultural exchange, and promoted the development of port cities that still bear their legacy today.