Influences of the Magdeburg Law on Economic Relations of Ukrainian Lands with the German Hanse

Abstract

Based on the comparative analysis of the results obtained by national historiography in the field of studying the spread of Magdeburg Law in Ukraine and cooperation with the Hanseatic League, the proposed researches were made.

Ukrainian historiography on the expansion of Magdeburg Law and the links with the Hanseatic League paid attention to the following aspects: the nature of these phenomena, their development, their role in the history of Ukrainian cities. In general, most Ukrainian historians have noted their positive influence on economic and cultural traditions.

It can be stated that the granting of Magdeburg Law to cities contributed to the economic development in Ukraine, providing the creation of guilds, the organization twice a year (for Lutsk, Volodymyr, and Kremenets – three times) a fair and the collection of taxes and duties, spent for the development of those cities. Gaining of Magdeburg Law by Volyn cities can be traced chronologically. So, the corresponding privilege was given, for example, in 1324 to Volodymyr, in 1353 to Peremyshl, in 1392 to Kholm, in 1432 to Lutsk, in 1507 to Rivne, in 1498 to Dubno, in 1518 to Kovel, in 1540 to Torchyn, in 1541 to Luboml, etc.

The process of establishing trade links between the merchants of Hanse and Medieval Volyn has had documentary confirmation since the fourth quarter of the 13^th century. In particular, in 1286, Prince of Kuyavia Vladyslav Łokietek, guaranteed the protection of the Torun burghers who went to Volyn. In August 1320 Prince Volodymyr Andriy Yurievych gave a protective act to the traders of Torun for the right of duty-free trade in Volyn. In that document Volyn prince emphasized the tradition of those trade links, pointing to the consistency of his economic policies with the policies of his father – the grandson of Danylo Halytskyi – Yuri Lvovych.

Two stages of the evolution of relations between Volyn and Hanse in the 13th-17th centuries can be proposed:

I (the fourth quarter of the 13^th – 14^th centuries) – a period of direct (without any agents) relations, when Volyn was a part of the Galicia-Volyn principality and during the first decades of the ruling family Gediminas. Hanse representatives had the same privileges as in other cities of the Hanseatic League. It was the period of the main influence of Hanse on Ukrainians and their culture. For example, we can mention the supply of Western European defense weapons (crossbows and various halberds) and technologies of military architecture, in particular, the Lubart’s Castle in Lutsk, the spread of tower forms (donjon) in other fortresses, and so on;

II (the 15^th – first half of the 17^th century) - a period of indirect (with Polish agents) relations, when Volyn was a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland. The main flow of goods (grain, potash, ship timber) passed along the rivers of the Western Buh and the Vistula to Gdansk.