Peterhof (Novgorod)

The Peterhof or Petershof (Middle Low German and current German for "Peter's courtyard", Russian: немецкий двор, Latin: curia sancti Petri) was a Hanseatic kontor, one of the four major trading posts of the Hanseatic League, on the right bank of the Volkhov at Novgorod, Russia, then forming the Novgorod Republic.[1]: 99  It was named after St. Peter's Church, a Catholic church that was used by the Hanseatic merchants. It eventually consisted of two parts, the palissaded enclave, called the Peterhof proper, further uphill from the river Volkhov, and a beachyard, the Gotenhof, on the river that was eventually included in the Peterhof.[2]: 132  Baltic trade, including Novgorod's trade, was dominated by the Hanseatic League from the 13th to 15th centuries. It was first shut down in 1494 by Ivan III of Russia, but later reopened although a terminal decline could not be halted.

Map of modern Veliky Novgorod, showing the site of the Peterhof in red and the site of the Gotenhof in pink.

A kontor was a corporation (universitas) with a level of legal autonomy, the code of the Peterhof was called the schra. It was established around 1200 by traders from the Holy Roman Empire who earlier had used the Gotenhof.[3]: 15  The Peterhof maintained special ties with Visby, although Lübeck tried to take over control only with partial success.[3]: 16  Visby and Lübeck were in the 15th century sidelined by the Livonian towns. Ships from the Baltic accessed Novgorod over the Neva, Lake Ladoga and the Volkhov. Transport over land was in winter by sleighs, moving to Dorpat via Pskov.[2]: 132, 144 

The most important export good was fur, but beeswax, timber, honey and resin were also exported. Imports to Novgorod included herring, Flemish broadcloth, metals such as silver, salt and wine. Novgorod had an elaborate system to supply squirrel furs.

Although the Hanseatic residents did not live in complete isolation from the natives of Novgorod, the Peterhof was the most spatially segregated kontor.[1]: 182  It and the Gotenhof were surrounded by a wooden palissade with one gate, the enclave bordered the market of Novgorod. There were strict regulations on contact with outsiders: Russian men were not allowed into the courtyard at night, however Russian women were allowed into the kontor's bathhouse and German apprentices learnt Russian as servants for boyars. It also had the greatest language barrier of any kontor, between Middle Low German and the Old Novgorodian dialect of Old Russian, and special measures were taken to cross the language barrier.[4]: 97–98 [2]: 132 

  1. ^ a b Dollinger, Philippe (2000). The German Hansa. London & New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-19073-2. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023 – via books.google.com.
  2. ^ a b c Burkhardt, Mike (2015). "Kontors and Outposts". In Harreld, Donald J. (ed.). A Companion to the Hanseatic League. Brill's Companions to European History. Leiden, Boston: Brill. pp. 127–161. ISBN 978-90-0428-288-9.
  3. ^ a b Henn, Volker (2010). "Het ontstaan van de Hanze [The coming into being of the Hanseatic League]". In Brand, Hanno; Egge, Knol (eds.). Koggen, kooplieden en kantoren: de Hanze, een praktisch netwerk [Cogs, merchants and offices: the Hanze, a practical network] (hardcover) (in Dutch) (1st ed.). Hilversum & Groningen: Uitgeverij Verloren & Groninger Museum. ISBN 978-90-8704-165-6. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  4. ^ Wubs-Mrozewicz, Justyna (2010). "De Kantoren van de Hanze: Bergen, Brugge, Londen en Nowgorod" [The Kontors of the Hanseatic League: Bergen, Brugge, London and Novgorod]. In Brand, Hanno; Egge, Knol (eds.). Koggen, kooplieden en kantoren: de Hanze, een praktisch netwerk [Cogs, merchants and offices: the Hanze, a practical network] (hardcover) (in Dutch) (1st ed.). Hilversum & Groningen: Uitgeverij Verloren & Groninger Museum. ISBN 978-90-8704-165-6. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.