E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau, Melissa McDaniel, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 39664-h.htm or 39664-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/39664/pg39664-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39664/39664-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). The Story of the Nations. THE HANSA TOWNS. * * * * * THE STORY OF THE NATIONS. _Large Crown 8vo, Cloth, Illustrated, 5s._ _Presentation Edition, Gilt Edges, 5s. 6d._ 1. =ROME.= ARTHUR GILMAN, M.A. 2. =THE JEWS.= Prof. J. K. HOSMER. 3. =GERMANY.= Rev. S. BARING-GOULD, M.A. 4. =CARTHAGE.= Prof. A. J. CHURCH. 5. =ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.= Prof. J. P. MAHAFFY. 6. =THE MOORS IN SPAIN.= STANLEY LANE-POOLE. 7. =ANCIENT EGYPT.= Canon RAWLINSON. 8. =HUNGARY.= Prof. A. VAMBÉRY. 9. =THE SARACENS.= A. GILMAN, M.A. 10. =IRELAND.= Hon. EMILY LAWLESS. 11. =CHALDÆA.= Z. A. RAGOZIN. 12. =THE GOTHS.= HENRY BRADLEY. 13. =ASSYRIA.= Z. A. RAGOZIN. 14. =TURKEY.= STANLEY LANE-POOLE. 15. =HOLLAND.= Prof. J. E. THOROLD ROGERS. 16. =MEDIÆVAL FRANCE.= Prof. GUSTAVE MASSON. 17. =PERSIA.= S. G. W. BENJAMIN. 18. =PHOENICIA.= Canon RAWLINSON. 19. =MEDIA.= Z. A. RAGOZIN. 20. =THE HANSA TOWNS.= By HELEN ZIMMERN. London: T. FISHER UNWIN, 26, Paternoster Square, E.C. * * * * * [Illustration: VIEW OF HAMBURG.] THE HANSA TOWNS by HELEN ZIMMERN Author of "A Life of Lessing," "Heroic Tales from Firdusi," etc. London T. Fisher Unwin 26 Paternoster Square New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons MDCCCLXXXIX Entered at Stationers' Hall By T. Fisher Unwin Copyright by G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1889 (For the United States of America). PREFACE. In bringing before the public what I believe to be the first History of the Hanseatic League, it gives me pleasure to think that the impetus to write it came from the United States. The work was suggested to me by my valued friend, Mr. G. H. Putnam, of New York, a citizen of the country in which the principle of federation is best understood and most thoroughly carried out. The Hansa was one of the earliest representatives of that federal spirit which will, beyond doubt, some day help to solve many of the heavy and grievous problems with which we of the Old World are struggling; but that day is not yet, and meantime we have much to learn both from the successes and failures of the past.