Meet the Middle Ages
BackThe fairway of King Valdemar
During the Middle Ages, seafarers preferred to sail near the coast. The cargo ships of the 12th and 13th centuries were not sea-worthy enough to sail far out at sea. Rough weather and storms could be very dangerous. People also wanted to stay close to the shore in case they were attacked by pirates. In addition, the ships had hardly any room for the crew.They would cook and sleep ashore.
There is a preserved description of a sailing route from the 13th century. It is often called "the Faiway of King Valdemar" as it is connected to the Danish King, Valdemar Sejr. The fairway begins at Utlängan in Blekinge, continues off the Swedish coast by way of Åland to Finland, and finally to Reval (Tallinn) in Estonia.
During the 14th and 15th centuries the Hanseatic League had taken control of the trade and sailed with larger ships, cogs. Now it was possible to cross the Baltic Sea, from Lübeck by way of Visby to Tallinn or Riga. The Fairway of Valdemar continued to be important to the people who were sailing to the coastal towns of Småland and Germany.