The Treaty of Artlenburg (also known as the Artlenburger Privileg) was a commercial charter agreed between Duke Henry the Lion of Saxony and Bavaria and the merchants and inhabitants of Gotland on 18 October 1161. It was issued at Artlenburg (Ertheneburg), a settlement on the Elbe River, during an assembly at the Elbe crossing.
Background
Gotland, an island in the Baltic Sea (now under Swedish rule), was a highly profitable trading emporium in the 12th and 13th centuries. The treaty established a compromise between Gotland merchants trading in the Baltic and the German subjects of Henry the Lion.
Terms
The treaty granted the Gotlanders special trade privileges within Henry's domains, including:
- Full redress (compensation) for injury or damage to their goods in all towns and cities under Henry's authority.
- Exemption from customs duties (tolls).
- Exemption from wergild (blood money) payments.
In return, Henry's own subjects received reciprocal liberties and trading rights within Gotland.
Historical Context
The treaty's prologue states that it resolved "discord that has long been bad between the Germans and the Gotlanders, stirred up by the spirit of evil," and re-established "ancient unity and concord." The text mentions acts of violence (referred to as mala, or "evils") and indicates that a similar arrangement had previously existed between the Gotlanders and Henry's grandfather, Emperor Lothar III.
The treaty concludes with Henry expressing the wish that the Gotlanders would frequently visit his lands, especially the port of Lübeck, which Henry had seized from the Duke of Holstein in 1158. Lübeck would later become one of the most important towns of the Hanseatic League.
Significance
The Treaty of Artlenburg is widely regarded by scholars as an important precursor to the Hanseatic League. It established a legal framework for trade in the Baltic region and contributed to Lübeck's emergence as a central trading hub. The treaty has been debated among historians regarding its precise role in the early development of Hanseatic trade networks.
