The History of Visby

Let’s begin with a quote from Professor Dick Harrison, from his book "Gud vill det! - Nordiska korsfarare under medeltiden", which touches on Visby’s golden age:

"Rarely has any place in what is now Sweden held as much political, economic, and religious significance as Visby did during the latter half of the 12th century and the first half of the 13th century."

Visby, renowned for its beauty, also holds a vital place in Sweden's history. This is highlighted by the grand event Medeltidsveckan (Medieval Week), which draws inspiration from Valdemar Atterdag's invasion of Gotland in 1361. While Atterdag imposed a heavy tax on Visby, his primary goal was the conquest of Gotland itself. Medeltidsveckan has grown into a major commercial success, though most people today don’t give much thought to its historical origins.

A Historical Overview

Visby was a small harbor along the Gutnish coast until the end of the 11th century. By the mid-Middle Ages, it had blossomed into a thriving Hanseatic city, a key player in Baltic Sea trade. It’s often claimed that Visby broke away from the Republic of Gotland and became a more independent Hanseatic city, following Hanseatic policies, although this separation remains debatable. At the end of the Middle Ages, powerful figures resided in Visborg Castle, the strongest fortress in the Nordic region, seeking to control the Baltic trade. However, these ambitions were frequently dashed by larger political developments. Afterward, Visby gradually faded into a quieter existence until tourism began to boom in the early 20th century.

Ancient Beginnings

The site of present-day Visby was inhabited as far back as the Late Stone Age, with even older graves found elsewhere on Gotland. Behind the cathedral, artifacts have been unearthed, and if you walk from Stora Torget to Mellangatan near the ruins of Drotten and St. Lars, you’re passing over ancient Stone Age graves.

The Viking Age

Between the Stone Age and the Viking Age, few archaeological finds have been made, but Visby began to develop during the Viking Age. However, it was not a major settlement at this time. Gotland’s vast trading operations were mainly concentrated on the eastern side of the island, as evidenced by the large number of Viking-era silver hoards found there.

Viking-era burial sites can be found near modern Visby, such as by Tingsrätten and the cemetery. The largest Viking burial site in Visby is at Kopparsvik, beneath the oil tanks.

The name "Kopparsvik" may seem to be linked to commerce, but this is unlikely. Other places on Gotland are named after trade, like Kauparve, but Kopparsvik is unique in the island’s toponymy.

Why Did Visby Grow?

During the Viking Age, Gotland hosted several trading posts. It wasn’t called Gotland in early trading records but rather the "Gutnish Coast." Trade was deeply ingrained in Gotland’s culture long before the Viking Age. For instance, by the second century AD, 80% of the Roman denarii (silver coins) found in Sweden were discovered on Gotland. Gotlanders were trading across the Baltic long before the Viking era, with evidence of Mediterranean shells found in Stone Age graves.

Visby’s significant growth likely started with the Artlenburgprivilegiet (Artlenburg Privilege) of 1161, as indicated in Dick Harrison’s quote. Prior to the mid-12th century, Visby was probably just one of many small harbors along the Gutnish coast. The privilege might suggest that Germans had begun settling in Visby before 1161, causing friction with the local Gotlanders.

Though Visby wasn’t founded by Germans, it seems plausible that Gutnaltinget designated Visby as a settlement for Germans who wanted to live on Gotland. There are no records of Germans settling elsewhere on the island in any significant numbers, and Visby’s harbor was far from the best on Gotland.

In the late 12th century, the Northern Crusades began, targeting the peoples of Livonia, and Visby’s growth was tied to these events. The extent to which these crusades contributed to Visby’s prosperity is debated—some scholars suggest they played a major role, while others are more cautious.

The Middle Ages

Visby’s golden age lasted for a few centuries during the Middle Ages. Professor Erik Nylén once said that Visby was like a "cuckoo’s egg" in Gotland’s history, a fitting metaphor. A great deal has already been written about the medieval period on Guteinfo, with special attention given to Gutalagen and Gutasagan. You can also find more details in the site’s timeline of Gotland’s history.

It’s difficult to summarize this period, but if we return to Dick Harrison’s quote, we can begin to understand why Visby’s golden age began and why it eventually ended.

The Artlenburgprivilegiet marked the beginning of Visby’s heyday, but it wasn’t the local citizens who initiated this rise—figures like those mentioned in Lichnat ei Stainkörke and The Knight in Stenkyrka laid the foundations for Visby’s growth. The city’s decline began with the civil war of 1288, and Visby’s role as a major trading center was ultimately destroyed in 1525 by the combined forces of the Gotlanders and Lübeckers. This marked the final chapter of Visby as a Hanseatic city, with Gotland itself reasserting control.