A thousand-year history, a location at the crossroads of important commercial and communication routes, an extensive port and mercantile traditions - all this makes Gdansk a meeting place of many cultures, nationalities and denominations. The first written mention of Gdansk comes from 997. The defensive and urban complex as well as a port started to really form in the second half of the 10th century. The dynamic development of trade, fishery and craft guilds soon pushed the city to the leading position in Pomerania. It maintained this even despite being taken over by the Teutonic Knights in 1308. The city continued to develop dynamically. Joining the League of Hanseatic Cities (in 1361) and the fast development of the port are just some of the factors contributing to the strong position of Gdansk in Europe. Although after the defeat of the Teutonic Order near Grunwald the city voted for the Polish king, it did not return to Poland until 1457 when King Kazimierz Jagiellończyk incorporated Gdansk into the Crown and, in recognition of the merits of Gdańsk burghers, granted Gdansk numerous privileges, thus starting a three-hundred-year period of prosperity.