TAMH: Trading Ports

Centuries - 16 | 18 | 19

Narva in the 16th century

(Narva, Estonia)

Much of the early commercial success of Narva and Tallinn arose from their virtual monopoly on trade to and from Russia. The Danes built Fort Narva (Hermannstadt) in the 12th or 13th century and sold it to the Teutonic Order in 1347. Ivan III built a fort on the Russian bank of the River Narva in 1492 throwing the Baltic Germans into alarm. The Teutonic fort on the other side of the river was enlarged and an arms' race began resulting in Narva becoming Russian. In 1558 the Knights turned to Sweden for protection and, by the end of the Livonian Wars, 1558-1583, Narva was in Swedish hands. Under Gustavus Adolphus the Swedes were content to profit from Narva without interfering with the underlying German infrastructure. However, by the end of the 16th century, Charles XI had taken over all the German estates and they looked to their old enemies, the Russians, for support.

Search for voyages to Narva in the 16th century.