2018/01/01 by Ulf Christian Ewert, Ewert, Ulf Christian, Marco Sunder +1
Arts and Humanities · #Commercial revolution #Hanse #Medieval History and Crusades #medieval maritime trade #multi-agent models #network organisation
paper · pdf · doi:10.12759/hsr.43.2018.1.110-143
openalex publication_date 2018/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Maritime trade grew enormously in Europe after c. 1100 AD, thereby contributing much to the European economic take-off commonly considered as the “Commercial Revolution of the Middle Ages.” In this article, determinants of both the formation of the Hanse’s network-based system of trade in Northern Europe and its later dissolution are analysed using a multi-agent model. Findings are connected to the discussion in institutional economics and economic history concerning the importance of institutional developments in long-distance trade for economic growth in medieval Europe, the efficiency of self-enforcing institutions, and the divergence of institutional arrangements in medieval maritime trade. Finally, both potentials and limitations of agent-based models for historical research are discussed.