Foreign trade of medieval Novgorod

Trade was eventually dominated by German cities united in the Hanseatic League, which had its easternmost office in Novgorod.

The main exports of Novgorod were furs, honey, wax, leather and fish, while silver, cloth, wine, salt and herring were imported.

Trade involved Novgorodians of different social status, including professional merchants, landowners, peasants and moneylenders.

Over time a pattern emerged, with two groups of merchants departing for Novgorod from Livonian cities twice a year, in summer and winter.

The sea route went from Reval to Kotlin Island, where goods were reloaded to Russian river boats, then by the Neva, Lake Ladoga and the Volkhov.

[1] The treaty became the basis for the relationship between Novgorod and German cities for the next hundred years but did not prevent numerous conflicts in the 15th century.

The main points of contention were the right of Novgorodian merchants to carry out sea trade independently and the terms of exchange.

[10] Analysis of birch bark documents has shown that the trade involved Novgorodians from almost all social strata: professional merchants, landowners, peasants and moneylenders.

[12] Objects belonging to German merchants, including a birch-bark document with an inscription in Latin, have been found during excavations of the Gothic Yard.

The agreements set the level of dues Novgorodian merchants paid in lands belonging to the prince and prohibited establishing customs houses and interfering in international trade.