Economic History and Maritime Expansion in Early Modern Spain
Economic and Social Organization
The core activities of the economy were agriculture and livestock. Periodic markets were held to exchange information and products.
The Castilian Farming Economy and the Mesta
The economy was fundamentally ovine. Castilian wool remained the main export product and was sent to Flanders and England through the Cantabrian ports. Sheep needed large tracts of land for pasture. The monarchy was inclined to protect the interests of farmers, and laws were promulgated protecting the powerful Mesta, the organization that brought together Castilian farmers.
The Spanish economy received its biggest boost from the colonization of America, as gold and silver came from this continent and the increase in trade relations stimulated economic prosperity.
The Slow Recovery of the Crown of Aragon
The crisis in the Middle Ages had decimated the population of the Crown of Aragon and weakened the economy. To try to mitigate the ongoing crisis, King Ferdinand acted to end the unrest of the peasants in Catalonia, and the Arbitral Ruling of Guadalupe was decreed. In Catalonia, laws were also enacted with the aim of promoting trade, shipping, and manufacturing. In Aragon, there was a continuing predominance of agriculture, which reinforced the power of the nobility.
Social Groups and Hierarchy
The clergy and nobility constituted the privileged classes and held a very important part of the land and livestock. The law of primogeniture prohibited selling family assets and forced the owner to leave the entire inheritance to the firstborn. A large part of the population consisted of landless peasants subjected to precarious living conditions. In the cities, people dedicated themselves to developing a middle class focused on business and crafts.
Objectives of 15th-Century Maritime Expeditions
In the Middle Ages, trade with Eastern Europe for silk and spices was conducted through the Silk Road, which traveled across the Mediterranean, reached Constantinople, and from there crossed Central Asia. In the year 1453, the Turks conquered Constantinople, hampering traditional trade routes to the Orient. Therefore, it was necessary to find new sea routes to access certain luxury goods. From the 15th century, a series of maritime expeditions were conducted, opening new trade routes, reaching new continents, and expanding the known world.
Portuguese Expeditions and the African Route
Sailing westward, explorers reached the Madeira Islands and then reached the Azores. Following the African coast southward, they reached the Gulf of Guinea. Later, Bartolomeu Dias reached the Cape of Good Hope (originally called the Cape of Storms).
The Route to India: A new expedition led by Vasco da Gama reached the coast of India and thus opened the way to the Spice Islands.