After initially including the entire area of Schleswig-Holstein's trade history in the study, I gradually narrowed it down. The present work primarily addresses the period from 1544 to 1627. The year 1544 was chosen as the starting point because the Peace of Speyer allowed for regular trade to resume after a long interruption, and on the other hand, the territorial division that occurred in this year was also of great significance for trade. The year 1627 marks the beginning of another nearly 100-year period of wars. Historian Adolf Jürgens presents a comprehensive and detailed economic history of Schleswig-Holstein in this volume. Following an introduction to the political and geographical context, he examines trade within Schleswig-Holstein as well as the economic relationships with other countries and regions.