Gates and ports between the Old and the New World. Sources for the study of trade in the city of Seville, XVth-XVIIth centuries

Abstract

The city of Seville, Spain was a key European economic center during the early modern period. From 1503 to 1717, it was the location of the Casa de Contratación de las Indias, the institution that organized trade and voyages between Spain and its transatlantic colonies. This combined with its importance as a nexus between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, and Europe and Africa, made it a major economic center. In this chapter, we discuss the major institutions that defined commerce within Seville, how it was organized within the city fabric, provide a brief overview of the historigraphy of Sevillian trade and the sources that exist now for its study.