Economic Relations Between Gdańsk and Königsberg in the Years 1466–1525

Upon the decisions of the peace treaty concluding the Thirteen Years’ War between the German Order and the Kingdom of Poland supported by the Prussian estates, the monastic rule in Prussia was divided into two separate, if connected with each other, parts: Royal Prussia and Monastic Prussia. The article discusses economic relations – long distance trade, retail, the flow of people and capital between the biggest cities – Gdańsk and Königsberg in the years 1466–1525. In the older historiography there appeared information indicating that economic relations between Royal Prussia and Monastic Prussia were breached after the division of the Monastic State. Such information resulted from the insufficient database – the authors concentrated on the sources which addressed the problem in quantitative terms. On the basis of the analysis of the correspondence and scattered entries in the city books it is possible to establish that intensive trade and financial contacts between the biggest ports of Prussia were maintained. Trade relations concentrated on the exchange between Western Europe and Lithuania, where both cities played a major role. What prevailed was the export of salt, and at the beginning of the 16th century also the export of grain from Żuławy [Werder] to Königsberg. Wood, ash and hop played a major role in the import to the West. The exchange of goods invariably entailed the exchange of money and people. Inhabitants of Gdańsk and Königsberg lent money to each other and purchased property. The exchange of people was also visible; it referred mainly to journeymen and peddlers. The text shows that apart from customs books it is necessary to examine the correspondence while analyzing trade contacts of Gdańsk.