1358
General union in the League 'van der duedeschen hanse' (= of the German Hanse) to secure trading advantages: the right to provide storage for their own goods; the obligation on the part of other merchants to maintain an adequate store of goods, and otther priviliges.

The most effective weapon was the Verhansung (boycott of the goods of a port or a country), which was decided at the league meetings (Hansetage) of the cities.

They were organized in quarters according to region; individual cities were in control of subordinate cities. The Wendish quarter, with Luebeck as its head, became the leading quarter. The loosely organized league did not have a constitution; its membership (over 200 cities) changed periodically. Foreign officies (Kontore): Novgorod, London, Bergen et al. The league's main enemy was Denmark which led to the Hanse War (1362-70) when Denmark was forced to submit to the financially superior enemy.