HANSdoc Database

14980405BER00

Transcript available

1498, April 5

[Bergen]

Eldermen of the Hanseatic Kontor in Bergen to the representatives of the Hanseatic cities gathered in Lübeck: complaint about the commercial activity of two Bremen ships in Shetland in 1494, and how after the governor of Bergen had confiscated commodities of one of them, he had to release these after letters sent by the Duke of Holstein and the Count of Oldenburg.

15330116HAM00

1533, January 16

Hamburg

Hamburg to Herman Bonn, professor in theology in Lübeck: ask for his cooperation in making known the demands of the Hamburg merchants with Iceland to the English legate, who does not know German.

15330205BRE00

1533, February 5

Bremen

Martinus Michaelis from Bremen to Herman Rover, secretary of Hamburg: request on behalf of the Bremen skippers to keep them updated about the negotiations in Holstein which will soon take place.

15500915MAL00

1550, September 15

Malmö

King Christian III of Denmark to Hamburg: complaint about violent behaviour of Hamburg merchants in Iceland last summer, who confiscated fish which belonged to Copenhagen merchants and the king and attacked Danish merchants. Moreover, the governor has not illegally taken goods from them last winter, because foreigners are not allowed to stay in winter, which was also confirmed on the Althing this summer. Therefore, it is demanded that the violent merchants, servants, and crew members be arrested and the confiscated fish be returned.

15630929KOB00

Transcript available

1563, September 29

Copenhagen

King Frederick II of Denmark renews the sulfur monopoly on behalf of Stefan Loitz, which had led to problems before. The king will form a company for 7 years with the Loitz family, which will send two ships annually to Iceland for sulfur, for which Loitz will provide the merchandise. In return, they will give the king a loan of 60000 daler for 3 years, and the sulfur that was confiscated in Hamburg will be returned to them.

15641204STE00

1564, December 4

Stettin (Szczecin)

Stefan Loitz to Johan Rantzau, governour of Holstein: complains that he has trouble paying the 60.000 daler for the Icelandic sulfur trade, because he cannot sell a barrel of sulfur for 30 daler, as was promised, but only 22 or 24.

15730420HAM00

Transcript available

1573, April 20

Hamburg

Hamburg to king Frederick II of Denmark: complaint of the merchants with Iceland, that they have been forbidden to use three harbours in the North of Iceland, Oyefordt, Husewick and Schagefordt, which are now used by Copenhagen burgomaster Marcus Hess, and that now count Adolf of Schleswig-Holstein is preparing a ship to sail there, under command of Hamburg skipper Herman von Horsten.

15770319HAM00

Transcript available

1577, March 19

Hamburg

Jurgen Timme to Bremen: complaint against the skipper Rolof Gerdes, who was supposed to sail from Hamburg to Iceland with commodities from Holstein and Denmark. Gerdes later changed his mind, although Timme had already bought many commodities, and now asks for compensation.

15770603HAM00

Transcript available

1577, June 3

[Hamburg]

Merchants sailing to Iceland to Hamburg: complain about the quarrel between the Danish king and Hamburg, which has led to a prohibition to sail to Iceland, where they still have many outstanding debts, and now their fellow merchants are moving to other cities and sailing from there, much to their own and the city's damage. Therefore, it is asked that the council will do its best to restore the former situation.

15850816JEV00

1585, August 16

Jever

Count John VII of Oldenburg to king Frederick II of Denmark: answer to the license for the harbours Neswage and Grundeforde, which the count has gladly received, and the state of his relations with the Bremen cathedral chapter, which is electing a new bishop.

15991105HAM00

1599, November 5

Hamburg

Hamburg to king Christian IV of Denmark: request for a license for the harbours Husawick or Roderhebde in Iceland, which are not in use by anyone, on behalf of Andreas Selm and Jurgen Vilter, who have traded in Iceland before.

16011213HAM00

1601, December 13

Hamburg

Hans Steinkamp and Bernd Osthoff to Hamburg: complain how the ship of Hans Hare has shipwrecked on Helgoland on its way to Iceland, at which occasion most of their goods were lost, so that they had to cancel the journey to Iceland for this year. Because their license for the harbour Grindewick has expired, however, they ask permission to sail once more next year.

16040110HAM00

1604, January 10

Hamburg

Bernd Salfeld to king Christian IV of Denmark: complains how his goods have been confiscated in Iceland by the governour by request of lawman Jon Jonsson, and was forced to pay 2000 daler because he tried to collect his outstanding debts, and asks to let Jonsson appear before court.

16100928BRE00

Transcript available

1610, September 28

Bremen

Bremen to duke John Adolf of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp: eight citizens have informed that two of their ships, one returning from Hamburg, the other from Shetland, have wrecked during a storm in the Elbe near Hadeln, whereby the goods on board were salvaged by inhabitants of Dithmarschen and Eiderstedt, and now ask for support in retrieving their goods from them.