Albrecht Giese

Albrecht Giese IV was born in Gdańsk (Danzig), Poland), on February 10, 1524. He belonged to a well-known family of city official and merchants active in the Hanseatic League. He died in Gdańsk on August 1, 1580.

Albrecht Giese received his education in Greifswald (Pomerania), Wittenberg and Heidelberg. As was the custom of the time, after his formal studies were over, he toured Europe for several years to learn different languages, as was necessary for a long-distance trader. In the meantime, Giese had married in Gdańsk. He returned to Gdańsk from his travels in 1564 and became he became a councilman. Over the next six years he took part as a delegate of Gdańsk at several Hanseatic League meetings in Lübeck. His most difficult mission came in 1568–1569, when he accompanied the mayor of Gdańsk Johann Brandes to a meeting at Piotrków Trybunalski.

After 1560 the king Zygmunt August of Poland ordered creation of "Maritime Commission" and royal sponsored fleet with main base in Gdańsk. The authorities of Gdańsk considered it as a threat to the city's privileges. Besides the members of commission and private owners of war ships (official pirates or kapres) were excluded from city's jurisdiction even in criminal cases.

The crisis broke out in 1567. The city council arrested and sentenced to death 11 kapres accused of murder. In response the king ordered a commission to revise the constitutions of the cities of Gdańsk and Elbląg. In 1570 the King cancelled their old statutes and declared in force the Statua Karnkowiana, which considerably limited the authority of the city council. Danzig had continuously refused to sign any decrees which would take away its written guarantee of autonomy. The Danzig delegation was treated with greatest misgivings; Brandes was not allowed to speak.

These tactics by the crown of Poland were designed to intimidate the delegation. The four delegates, even after several weeks of degrading treatment and prolonged waiting, were, however, not willing to be forced to sign away the city's autonomy. In 1569 they were brought to Cracow, where they were incarcerated for a year. The intention of the royal government was to force the city of Gdańsk to agree to the new rules. To make the incarceration more severe, councilman Giese and mayor Kleefeld were jailed at another town than the other mayor and councilman. The Danzig city state council members did not sign, however, and after prolonged negotiations the mayors were allowed to return to their official business after having paid 100,000 gulden.

Another Polish king, Stephen Bathory came and when the city council of Gdańsk failed to pay homage, the king declared the ban over her (Sept. 24th 1576). Negotiations failed, and in 1577 a royal army laid siege to the city. The city held out, and a settlement was negotiated; the city paid 200,000 Gulden and confirmed royal overlordship; the King recognized her old privileges and confirmed the city's Lutheran confession; the ban on Danzig was lifted.

Gdańsk had successfully defended its privileges against the Polish monarchy.

In 1585 the Jesuits were granted permission to establish themselves in Danzig and preach in the former Dominican convent, later in the former convent of St. Brygida, where they established a chapel. They served a Catholic community.

Albrecht Giese suffered substantial troubles during this critical time, when he was wrongly suspected of being friendly towards the Polish king.