It was the result of disputes going back to around the middle of the 14th century, stemming from the conflicting privileges held by both towns and from rivalry for dominance in maritime trade. Stargard had the right of free, duty-free trade to the Baltic Sea, while Szczecin held the staple right over all ships leaving the duchy. In the 15th century these tensions led to open conflict. During it there were many skirmishes, including the destruction of the Stargard and Goleniów harbour at Inoujście, the blocking of the Ina estuary with piles, attacks on ships, and an assault on Stargard in which its suburb was burned; the people of Stargard, for their part, burned the customs bridge on the Regalica, killing 6 guards, and plundered parts of Szczecin’s suburbs. As both sides were losing heavily, and thanks to mediation by the Hanseatic towns, a truce was signed in Anklam in November 1464.
The Griffin with a sack of wheat and an axe symbolises the greatest open conflict between Stargard and Szczecin, known as the Wheat War. The name is no accident: the conflict was a struggle for primacy in trade, and most Pomeranian wheat was transported through Stargard, which refused to submit to Szczecin’s privileges.