A “Russian Staple” In Lübeck’s Trading Strategy At The Early Modern Time

A previously unknown letter from Lübeck to Reval in 1571, discovered in the Tallinn City Archives, reveals the first detailed mention of the 'Russian Staple'—a strategic initiative by the Hanseatic League to expand its trading privileges in Russia. The proposal aimed to shift the Baltic Sea trade center to Russian cities like Ivangorod or Pskov, offering duty-free trade and guaranteed transportation rights under tsarist patronage. While Lübeck initially established a trading post (Lübecker Hof) in Pskov, diplomatic efforts later sought broader expansion during the reigns of Tsars Fedor Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. Though records suggest limited internal discussion within Hanseatic congresses, the strategy hints at Lübeck's ambition to monopolize Russian trade or create its own economic hinterland.

Bessudnova, M. (2021). A “Russian Staple” In Lübeck’s Trading Strategy At The Early Modern Time. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 859–868. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2021.05.02.110