Fall of the Merchant-Farmer Republic: The Battle of Visby 1361 and the Danish Conquest of Gotland

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. AUTHOR: Professor Michael Fredholm von Essen is an historian and former military analyst who has published extensively on the history, defence strategies, security policies, and energy sector developments of Eurasia. He currently is the Head of Research and Development at IRI, an independent research institute. Educated at Uppsala, Stockholm, and Lund Universities, Michael Fredholm von Essen has lectured, including during conferences and as visiting professor, at numerous institutions and universities around the world. He is the author of a large number of books, articles, and academic papers, including Muscovy's Soldiers: The Emergence of the Russian Army, 1462-1689 (Helion, 2018); Charles XI's War: The Scanian War between Sweden and Denmark, 1675-1679 (Helion, 2018); Transnational Organized Crime and Jihadist Terrorism: Russian-Speaking Networks in Western Europe (Routledge, 2017); Understanding Lone Actor Terrorism: Past Experience, Future Outlook, and Response Strategies (Routledge, 2016); Afghanistan Beyond the Fog of War: Persistent Failure of a Rentier State (NIAS, 2018); Eight Banners and Green Flag: The Army of the Manchu Empire and Qing China, 1600-1850 (Pike and Shot Society, 2009); and a large number of articles on early modern warfare in the Arquebusier, the journal of the Pike and Shot Society. 10 b/w illustrations, 90 b/w photos, 16 colour illustrations, 2 colour photos, 5 b/w maps