noun
- plural of hanse: medieval merchant guilds or trading associations, especially those in northern European cities
Usage: historical
Examples
- The hanses controlled much of the Baltic Sea trade during the Middle Ages.
- Several German cities formed powerful hanses to protect their commercial interests.
- The decline of the hanses marked the end of medieval guild dominance in trade.
- Merchants joined hanses to gain protection and trading privileges.
- The most famous of the hanses was the Hanseatic League.
- Local hanses often competed with each other for market control.