Fall of the Merchant-Farmer Republic

The Battle of Visby was fought during the Danish invasion of Gotland in 1361. Fall of the Merchant-Farmer Republic analyses the campaign, presents new research on the arms, armour, and military organisation of the Gotland merchant-farmer republic, details the opposing armies, and explains the outcome and its consequences.

Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic, was an autonomous Swedish territory. Gotland suffered from tensions over trading rights between the traditional rural merchant-farmers and the burghers of heavily fortified Visby, which was part of the powerful Hanseatic League. The merchant-farmers of Gotland engaged in trade throughout the Baltic region, as well as from Britain to the Black Sea, directly competing with the wealthy and monopolistic Hanseatic League.

When King Valdemar Atterdag landed on the island with Danish knights and seasoned German mercenaries, his chief adversary was the well-armed rural militia. After being defeated twice, the Gotlanders retreated to Visby, anticipating that the city’s burgher militia and mercenaries would join them in resisting the invaders.

The Battle of Visby ended in a catastrophic defeat for the Gotland militia, leaving thousands dead outside the city walls in what became one of the most infamous massacres of the Middle Ages. Their remains, discovered in modern archaeological excavations, provide an unparalleled window into the arms, armour, and organisation of a unique merchant-farmer society. Drawing on the latest battlefield archaeology and a wide range of Scandinavian and international sources, Fall of the Merchant-Farmer Republic reconstructs not only the course of the battle but also the political, economic, and cultural forces that shaped it. The result is the most detailed study to date of the Danish conquest of Gotland and its enduring impact on the balance of power in the Baltic.

"Fall of the Merchant-Farmer Republic by prolific Helion contributor Michael Fredholm von Essen is the first in a new series from Helion, ‘A Time of Knights 400CE to 1453CE.’ It is one of those books that sounds quite worthy on the cover and then promptly turns out to be a very enjoyable read indeed....Von Essen writes with an easy confidence that makes complicated ideas feel pleasantly straightforward....Informative without being heavy, thoughtful without being dull, and very easy to recommend. Just the sort of book you start ‘for a chapter or two’ and end up finishing in one sitting. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys history with a bit of character and a lot of heart." carryingsonupthedale Blog

"....I would recommend the book for those interested in visiting a less well travelled sub-period (at least among English speaking audiences)." Slingshot Magazine