Danzig -- History -- Relations to Poland

"Danzig" included more than just the land inside the town walls. To it belonged vast tracts of land, mainly to the east, most of it fertile, some of it originally swamp. Large portions of the Danzig Werder had been drained by the Dutch Mennonites and produced vegetables, grain and cattle. It contained 30-40 villages and 12 churches. The Danzig Nehrung was a small strip of land on the sea with about 10 villages.

In exchange for military protection by Poland, Danzig was to supply the Polish King with grain and host him when he visited the city. Efforts on the part of various kings to encroach on Danzig's autonomy (which included the right not only to govern itself, but also to regulate trade and to mint its own coin), were strongly and inventively repulsed by proud and independent Burghers.