Hamburg

There is no firm evidence of settlement in Hamburg before the 4th century AD. Most city histories use 810 as their starting point, when Charlemagne built a fortress called the Hammaburg at the point where the River Elbe flows into Lake Alster. The Christian settlement survived numerous attacks by the Vikings, but fell to the Slavs in 832. Hamburg flourished under the rule of the Schauenburg Counts (who reigned until the 13th century) and began to expand south of the Elbe.

The 7th May 1189 is a very important date in the city's history. Legend has it that on this date, Emperor Barbarossa declared that merchants in Hamburg could trade freely with one another. Although 'Barbarossa's Charter' was only formally drawn up a century later, the declaration led to the founding of many merchants' guilds and trading houses. This event is still remembered in the annual festival which takes place on the Landungsbrücken, which celebrates the building of the harbour.

In 1190, the citizens of Hamburg attempted to free themselves from their aristocratic rulers, but all the rights they gained were lost eleven years later when the Danes conquered the city. The Danes were eventually pushed out in 1227, and the following years saw Hamburg develop into an important commercial and trading centre. The Alster was dammed, which probably changed the face of the city more than any other event in its history. When Hamburg joined the League of Hanseatic Cities in 1300, the city's fortunes took another turn for the better. More extensive trade relations and the annexation of nearby villages meant that by the end of the 14th century, Hamburg's population had grown to over 7,500 people.

In the 15th century, piracy on the North Sea was the greatest threat to the city. Hamburg founded its own navy, which proved successful in countering the threat posed by the pirates, but could not prevent a second occupation by the Danes. Despite this, the Hanseatic city was able to maintain its privileges and trade freely with other cities in Germany and abroad. In 1510, Emperor Maximillian I declared Hamburg an Imperial City. This meant that the city was directly subordinate to the Emperor, and represented an important step in gaining emancipation from the Danes. During the holy wars of the 16th century, many Protestants and Jews sought refuge in Hamburg, thus adding a new dimension to the city. The resulting increase in population provided a further economic and cultural stimulus.

The discovery of the New World and the expansion of trade in the 15th-17th centuries provided a wealth of new opportunities for the city. In the span of just a few years, the harbour became one of the most important in the world and the city grew into one of Europe's largest trading centres. The Wallanlagen fortifications, erected in 1616, provide an indicator of Hamburg's increasing significance and wealth. The only problems in this period were internal political disputes between the citizens and the City Council, but these were brought to an end in 1712 after intervention by the Kaiser.