Geleitrecht

The right of escort was, in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period, before the emergence of modern statehood with its monopoly on violence, a means of ensuring legal certainty for travellers.

They were able to use their original military prowess and "sell" it for highly prized, hard cash, in an economy that, in the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern period, was overwhelmingly based on barter and natural produce.

To begin with, traders were accompanied by mounted escorts (Geleitreiter or Geleitknechte) or teams; later, the escort lord made out letters of authority (Geleitbriefe) that travellers could purchase.

In such letters the road owner committed himself to damages if the tradesman suffered losses as a result of robbery; i.e. provided a sort of security insurance.

The following types of escort right may be distinguished: Whilst escorts were generally provided for people, they could also be used to protect certain goods, e.g. for the transport of the German Imperial Regalia from their repository in Nuremberg to the coronation site of Aachen (until 1531), later: Frankfurt am Main, and back.