Handbook of Key Global Financial Markets, Institutions, and Infrastructure

Chapter 25

Spanish Finance, 1348–1700

M. Drelichman

The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

CIFAR, Toronto, ON, Canada

Outline

Introduction

Political Organization

Crown and Kingdom

Nobility

The Church

Dominions and Colonies

Revenues

Direct Taxes

Indirect Taxes

American Silver

Debt

Juros

Asientos

Bankruptcies

Glossary

Further Reading

Introduction

In a strict sense, Spain did not exist as a political entity before 1700. Much like the idea of ‘Italy’ survived the disintegration of the Roman empire and persisted until its nineteenth-century political reemergence, the Roman Hispania was a vague concept overhanging the military and political processes, commonly grouped under the name of Reconquista, that saw a smattering of Medieval ...