Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Χανσεατική Ένωση" in Greek language version.
[A] grant of about 1157 [...] conferred perpetual protection upon the homines et cives Colonienses. As long as they paid estblished dues they were to be treated as the king's own men and no fresh charges would be levied on them without their consent. By this time they had some form of corporate organisation with a headquarters in London [...].
To facilitate trade in foreign countries, the Hansa established counters (Kontore) [...]. [...] The counters operated as the equivalent of an early stock exchange.