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2342 - Werl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

I was going to write about schleiereules (barn owls) but when I was reading about Werl and the fact it was a part of the Hanseatic League I had to learn more. I knew nothing about the Hanseatic League and saw it referenced in many of the other European cities I wrote about. 

Werl was a member of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. The Hanseatic League was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in central and northern Europe. At its peak it had over 200 settlements in nine modern nations (Germany, Netherlands, Russia, United Kingdom, Poland. Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia).

Traders in the Hanseatic League enjoyed duty free treatment, protection, and diplomatic privileges in affiliated communities and on their trade routes. It developed a common legal system governing their merchants and goods, and operated their own armies for mutual defence and aid. It peaked between the 13 and 15th centuries. In the mid 16th century, the Hanseatic League began to unravel and eventually disbanded in 1669.

Historians describe the Hanseatic League as the most successful trade alliance in history, while its unique governance style has been identified as the precursor to the European Union. 

If you were hoping I'd go into barn owls, here is a video about them:


I've also included a video about the Hanseatic League, if you a more comprehensive explanation about it. 

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