- published: 01 Feb 2015
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Free city may refer to:
The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck was a city-state from 1226 to 1937, in what is now the German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In 1226 Emperor Frederick II declared the city of Lübeck to be an Imperial Free City. In the 14th century Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of this medieval trade organization.
In 1359 Lübeck bought the ducal Herrschaft of Mölln from the indebted Albert V, Duke of Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln, a branch of the ducal house of Saxe-Lauenburg. The City and Duke — with the consent of the latter´s brother Eric — agreed on a price of 9,737.50 Lübeck marks. The parties also agreed a clause allowing for the repurchase of the lands by the Duke or his heirs but only if the they were buying back the property for themselves and not for a third party. Lübeck considered this acquisition to be crucially important, since Mölln was an important stage in the commerce between Brunswick and Lunenburg - especially in the trading of salt - via Lübeck to Scandinavia and back. Therefore Lübeck manned Mölln with armed guards maintaining law and order on the roads.