Neighbouring territories (Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, Hamburg, and Schauenburg and Holstein-Kiel) had been at feud with the Saxon dukes Eric II and his cousin Albert V since 1363.
Eric IV and Albert II signed a peace, concluding to settle future disputes – especially on the Saxon exclave Land of Hadeln, neighbouring the prince-archbishopric – without using violence.
[3] This was the first European canal crossing a drainage divide, and was especially important for trade with the entire Baltic Rim.
[4] In 1394 Hamburg had conquered the fortress of Ritzebüttel in order to make it its stronghold to protect the estuary of the river Elbe.
[7] In 1411 Eric IV and his sons Eric V and John IV pawned their share in the Vogtei over the Bailiwick of Bederkesa and in the Bederkesa Castle [de] to the Senate of Bremen including all "they have in the jurisdictions in the Frisian Land of Wursten and in Lehe [de], which belongs to the afore-mentioned castle and Vogtei".