How Hamburg Issued Itself the Charter for Supremacy on the Elbe

The Forged Barbarossa Charter
To prevail against Stade's staple right, which threatened Hamburg's trade, the Hamburgers forged a charter. This charter was allegedly issued by Emperor Barbarossa and granted Hamburg far-reaching privileges, including exemption from customs duties on the Elbe.
Although the document had formal errors and a false seal, the people of Hamburg managed to have the charter recognized as genuine through skillful action. As a result, Stade lost its staple right, and Hamburg was able to expand its position on the Elbe.

Further Imperial Privileges
Later emperors also endowed Hamburg with privileges. In 1365, Charles IV legally made the city the regulatory power on the Elbe to direct trade via Hamburg. The Hamburgers used these rights to enforce their staple right against resistance from other Elbe riparians.

Dispute over the Southern Elbe
Hamburg was particularly at odds with the Dukes of Harburg for a long time. They disputed Hamburg's sovereignty over the Southern Elbe. Through hydraulic engineering measures such as the "New Ditch" through the Grasbrook, Hamburg weakened the Southern Elbe until the Duke gave in in 1611. Hamburg simply ignored a court ruling from 1619 that declared the Southern Elbe a free waterway.

Conflicts with Denmark
Hamburg was also in dispute with the Danish King Christian IV, who dreamed of supremacy on the Lower Elbe, for decades. Denmark was unable to defeat Hamburg either economically through customs duties or militarily. In 1768, it recognized Hamburg's status as a Free Imperial City in the Gottorp Comparison. In return, Hamburg received the Elbe islands up to Finkenwerder - the foundation stone for the later port.

With perseverance, skill, and sometimes dubious means, Hamburg had thus fought for supremacy on the Elbe over the centuries and laid the foundation stone for its rise to become a trading metropolis.