Two Shipping Disputes between Gdańsk, Denmark and Lübeck of 1509 and 1510 in the Context of the Conflicts over the Kalmar Union

Abstract

The attitude of Gdańsk towards the war between Denmark and Sweden of 1501– 1512 still has not been fully researched by historians. The city, which gained some autonomy in its contacts with foreign powers after 1454, remained neutral towards this conflict. This status did not change after Lübeck and the other Wendish cities had joined the war on the Swedish side, which increased the risk for Gdańsk with regard to shipping through the Danish Straits. Gdańsk maritime trade suffered losses due to the privateers commissioned by both Danish King Hans and the Lübeck city council. This article examines two cases of ships from Gdańsk that were seized. In 1509, the vessel of skipper Hans Paul, which carried armour for the garrison of Malbork Castle, was captured by Danish privateers, and on 30 May 1510, three ships that were sailing back to Gdańsk from Western Europe were seized by Lübeckers. The main purpose of this case study, which is based largely on the correspondence included in the official Gdańsk town records currently stored in the State Archives in Gdańsk, is to find out how those disputes were conducted and what impact they had on the city, its maritime trade and diplomacy. The cargo of armour seized in 1509 was recovered only with the help of a Polish envoy in Copenhagen, who cooperated with the envoy sent by the city of Gdańsk. In the second case, Gdańsk authorities made attempts (which included sending official letters and legations, and talks during the Hanseatic diets) to recover them at least until the 1540s, albeit to no effect. This failure was a consequence of Gdańsk’s neutral status, which limited the influence the city had over King Hans and the city authorities of Lübeck. Also, the safety of navigation in the Danish Straits was a priority for Gdańsk.