Six Hanseatic Cities That Dominated Medieval Baltic Trade

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Hanseatic League was a coalition of port cities that dominated trade in the Baltic region, comprising Lübeck, Gdańsk, Riga, Tallinn, Visby, and Rostock. Lübeck emerged as the League's economic hub, benefiting from salt sourced from Lüneburg. Gdańsk, located at the mouth of the Vistula River, thrived on exports of timber and grain, achieving autonomy from King Casimir IV Jagiellon after aligning with Poland. Riga, which became a member in 1282, specialized in trading furs and wax and led the Livonian Hanseatic Diet. Tallinn (Reval) joined in 1285 and secured the staple right in 1346. Visby was conquered in 1361, leading to its membership suspension in 1470. Rostock, which joined in 1251, grew into Mecklenburg's largest city and established the University of Rostock in 1419.