76 Sarnowsky
discuss about the prolongation,48 but it seems that nothing came out of it.
The ‘Confederation of Cologne’ ended in 1385, probably because it was not
needed anymore—which clearly demonstrates the pragmatic character of the
urban co-operation.
After the dynastic succession in Denmark and also after the informal disso-
lution of the ‘Confederation of Cologne’, this became increasingly difficult. In
1387, Olav V died, and Margaret succeeded to take over the rule in Denmark and
Norway by consent of both councils of the realm, though she soon presented
another heir, her grand nephew Eric of Pomerania.49 Before 1387, the dukes of
Mecklenburg had not accepted Olav’s succession, and they had held on to their
claims and sent out pirates to attack Danish ships.50 Margaret secured her
southern borders by surrendering Schleswig to the counts of Holstein in 1386,
and sent out ships in defense. After Olav’s death, Albert of Sweden claimed
Denmark and Norway for himself, but soon faced a rebellion by the majority
of the Swedish nobility which invited Margaret. In February 1389, in the battle
of Falköping, Margaret won the upper hand and succeeded in taking Albert as
prisoner. The dukes of Mecklenburg reacted again by employing pirates to fight
the Danish contingents and opened up their harbours in Rostock and Wismar
for all enemies of Denmark. Lübeck and Stralsund tried in vain to restrain their
activities, though meanwhile many trade ships had been attacked.
The pirates named themselves ‘victual brothers’ (Vitalienbrüder),51 perhaps
alluding to pirates in the Hundred Years’ War or because they successfully
brought victuals to Stockholm. The city was besieged by Margaret but held
out for Albert because many of its citizens were German. The activities of
the victual brothers proved overall successful. In 1391, Bornholm and Visby
were conquered in the name of Albert, attacks concerned many places in the
Baltic, and the trade between the Hanseatic towns and Scania was interrupted.
Lübeck was occupied by other problems, but finally in 1395 mediated the treaty
of Lindholm by which Albert iii was freed for a nominal ransom of 60,000
marks while Stockholm was handed over to seven Wendish, Prussian, and
48 hr i 2, 306 § 22.
49 Sven Rosborn, “Erik of Pomerania: Union King and Pirate,” in Margrete I. Regent of the
North, 87–90, 436; Heinz Barüske, Erich von Pommern, Ein nordischer König aus dem
Greifengeschlecht (Rostock: Hinstorff, 1997).
50 David K. Bjork, “Piracy in the Baltic,” Speculum 18 (1943), 39–68.
51 Matthias Puhle, Die Vitalienbrüder. Klaus Störtebeker und die Seeräuber der Hansezeit,
2nd Ed. (Frankfurt a. M.: Campus, 1994); Gregor Rohmann, “Der Kaperfahrer Johann
Stortebeker aus Danzig. Beobachtungen zur Geschichte der Vitalienbrüder,” Hansische
Geschichtsblätter 125 (2007), 77–119.