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than the Germans, especially English, Scotch and Dutch, and
also the Danes, with whom we were politically connected after
1380, carried on trade with Norway.
The Dutch gave considerable impulse to Norwegian commerce,
as they had commenced as early as in the middle of the 15th
century to some extent to export timber from the South of
Norway. For a couple of centuries the timber was purchased
everywhere even in the country districts directly from the peasants.
The Norwegians also, to some extent, exported timber in their
own vessels. Water saw-mills were established in Norway about
the year 1500, but not until half a century later did they acquire
any importance for our export; and even as late as about 1875
our timber export to Holland still consisted mostly of rough
timber (see page 431).
In the second half of the 16th century, productions and
trade generally made a large stride in Western Europe; and the
building of both houses and ships caused a great demand for
Norwegian timber, not only in Holland, but also in Spain, Portugal
and England. The economic conditions of the country itself also
improved, and the Norwegian commercial class in many towns
gained new life. This was probably largely due to the
immigration of foreign elements, which, however, immediately took root
here, many of the immigrants marrying into Norwegian families.
At Bergen, the largest commercial houses were of foreign origin,
and simultaneously with the decline of the Hanseatic factory
some of the sons of its members became Norwegian citizens.
At the end of the 18th century, even in Bergen, there was only
a small minority of merchants who did not feel themselves to be
Norwegians.
During the latter part of the 16th century, our own vessels
again commenced to take some part, though a relatively small
one, in the trade with foreign countries, which during the latter
part of the 14th, and almost the whole of the 15th century had
been carried on chiefly by foreign ships.
In the course of the 17th century, the commerce and shipping
of Norway received a great impulse, although it was to a certain
extent seriously hampered by wars and other circumstances. The
timber-trade flourished greatly, and came more and more into the
hands of the growing Norwegian mercantile class in the towns,
although the export was still largely carried on in foreign vessels.
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