Songs about breakups are a blast. Thanks Miley Swift and co.
However the palpitating story of Visby, the capital of Gotland is just as compelling. And much like Miley Swift’s breakup songs, it’s a lot about money. Step back in time a millennium and learn more:
VISBY TRADING HUB
As you can see on the map, the island of Gotland is perfectly placed to be a North-European trade hub. And that’s just what it became around a thousand years ago, trading with German guilds or “hansas” and setting up a trading posts all the way to what is now Novgorod, a Kievan Rus’ principality.
From the East we've got timber
From the East we’ve got fur,
From the West we've got English cloth
Would you are for a cup of hot water?
Tea hadn’t been brought home by the Brits yet you see.
Started out in German Towns
Zusammen klappt es richtig gut
Partnerships in trade all round
Silver coins and fancy suits
Food and drink are as worthy trade ventures as fine clothes and bear skins:
We've got the very best Herring
What is that you can't hear? (best herring, not the best hearing)
We've got the very best Swedish Herring
Wash it out with this beer!
THE HANSA
THE Hansa is no ordinary hansa. It’s the big one, lobbying for free trade for its members all over the Baltic and North Seas. Visby is no longer in the driving seat and the unofficial capital of this union of cities is now Lübeck, in Germany. Visby’s era as main star is over, she’s now one of many:
Can you spot Visby ? hint: it’s an island
Gotland here was Batlic hub
but Lübeck is now Hansa Queen
And now for a part of the song actually about a breakup.
THE 1%
Something very odd happens when you have lots of money: you want more. I mean, back in those days anyway.
So the rich merchants, nobles and clergy in the capital were happy to see privileges afforded to the island’s peasants reduced over time. Their goods gradually became more taxed to be allowed to be traded with the rest of the Hansa.
Hard to imagine right ? RIGHT? (Anybody reading this from an office in the Cayman Islands?)
Of course this can lead to tensions. But what’s better that negotiations and sharing ? A WALL of course !
And so the great big Visby city walls were further developed over time, to protect themselves from the islanders!
Do you like specific dates ? I read in the local museum that: “The Hanseatic League underwent changes in the 1280s, when membership was restricted to towns only. This posed a problem for Gotland, since many farmers also took an active part in trading.”
“By decree of a Hanseatic convention in 1287, farmers were forced to travel to Visby to conduct trade. This later led to civil war on Gotland.”
Visby rallies to the club
The Gotland folk won't be so keen
When the Hansa taxes grows
On the goods brought from without
1288 it comes to blows (or Civil War as one might put it)
Build a wall to keep 'em out
But walled nit be nice to be together ?
THE DANES ARE HERE…
… to paint it red ! Let the peasants die instead !
When the feared Danish King Valdemar invaded in 1361, the city folk promptly closed the gates. Outside the walls, 1800 Gutes (inhabitants of Gotland) battled on and were slaughtered by the Danes. Then the gates were just as promptly opened to let the conquerors in.
Valdemar was a bit annoyed at this whole Hansa business you see, monopolies are no fun when you’re not playing.
Anyway, once in possession, he set up three huge beer barrels and informed the city fathers that if the barrels weren't filled with silver and gold within three days, he would turn his men loose to pillage and burn the town. To Valdemar's surprise, the barrels were filled before nightfall that very evening! They were really loaded you see.
To this day, every little Swede knows this story and the term Brandskattning.
Brand = fire
Skattning = taxing
Valdemar no mercy holds
Fill his barrels with churches' GOLD!
Where the gold at ?
Better prepare some coins to enter the city, trading your goods doesn’t come sheep!
PIRATES OF THE BALTIC SEA
The last verse is a word of warning to all planning a visit of the island’s capital during the late 14th century:
Russians, Germans & Gutes
Swedes and Danes in the City
Fear for your life and your goods
Pirates here have no mercy
Victual Brothers attack
Our ships disrupt our affairs
In 1394 no luck
The entire Island is theirs!
The victual brothers ! Originally a band of sailors and nobles who provided food and goods to blockaded regions, these pirates are now at the gates! And though the Hansa will go on for another couple of hundred years, it’s all downhill from there for Visby, once a thriving independent Baltic trading hub.
Basically the rest of its history goes: Teutonic knights fight off the pirates then sell the island to Valdemar’s daughter, queen Maggie I. It later becomes so run down its Hansa status is revoked, only to be later burned down by folks from Lübeck, oh the irony! All for a Danish throne dispute. What a shame. At least there’s parts of it left over still to sing around and visit.
But the Hansa will fight back
Changing sides as time goes by
Our cities have each other's back
Kind’a
Sort’a
Trade's our nack…
Seen better days, but St. Karin’s Cathedral on the town square’s still standing