Schiffskinder (literally meaning ship-children in German), were the crews of the ships of the
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
during the late Middle Ages. Schiffskinder and passengers swore allegiance to each other before leaving the harbour. They often fought both on land and at the sea. Sometimes groups of Schiffskinder supported the
Teutonic Order
The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...
armies
and there is a record of one
Hochmeister
The grand master of the Teutonic Order (; ) is the supreme head of the Teutonic Order. It is equivalent to the Grand master (order), grand master of other Military order (religious society), military orders and the superior general in non-milit ...
who in 1414 awarded one such group, the Schiffskinder of
Gdańsk
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
(Danzig), with privileges for their valor in combat against the Poles.
References
Hanseatic League
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