The Hanseatic League was a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe. It dominated trade in the Baltic Sea region and had its own legal system.
Related terms
Guild: A medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, often organized by occupation.
Baltic Sea: A sea in Northern Europe that connects various countries including Germany, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.
Mercantilism: An economic policy where nations sought to accumulate wealth by exporting more than they imported and establishing colonies for resources.