Cologne City Hall and 1096 were followed by the formation of a "commune" and first municipal structures as a basis for urban autonomy. In order to consolidate their economic and political rights, Cologne burghers established fraternities and trade guilds (most notably the "Richerzeche"). In the 1106 war of succession between Emperor Henry V and his father Emperor Henry IV, they took deliberate opposition to the archbishop, after which they gained benefit in regards to the city's territorial expansion over the following years. As – at the time – one of Europe's busiests trading ports and largest city in Germany, the population of Cologne
Historical Archive of the City of Cologne so-called White Book ("Weißes Buch"), a book of copies of charters and privileges. By 1370 the archives were located in the "Haus zur Stessen". In medieval Cologne, valuable goods and important trade documents were frequently stored in vaulted warehouses specially built in backyards. This method of storage was used by both business owners and the municipal administration. Documents included grants of privileges, contracts, records of lawsuits, maps, seals and documents from the estates of important persons. As the city and its national and international trade thrived and prospered, the municipal administration began to plan further storage to house the growing