Carlos V’s monetary management was characterised to a large extent by regular recourse to loans from Genoese, German, Castilian and Flemish bankers. Some of these loans were repaid on a regular basis, some were repaid with ecclesiastical revenues, and a third led to delays and non-payments by the Spanish Royal Treasury.
Contributions from ecclesiastical institutions were a very important figure in legitimising a relatively secure guarantee of repayment between them and the king vis-à-vis the bankers. In contrast to the secondary role played by Castilian lenders, ecclesiastical contributions – mainly through the Crusade – did stand out as a key tool for the crown.
It can be seen how in the period between 1547 and 1550 the figures for loan payments fall, largely because they were not so necessary at this peaceful time, rising again between 1551 and 1554, showing the preeminence of Genoese bankers when it came to financing the Spanish monarchy. It should be borne in mind, however, that despite being very clear and definitive data, these may suffer some variation in the royal sphere because some entries showed that the monarch used the bankers as intermediaries to transfer money between his kingdoms, thus increasing the share of these entities.

Collection: Graphics

Project: 2. Social and economic impact of technological revolutions in Europe., 3. Rural world and urban world in the formation of the European identity.

Chronology: XVI

Scope: Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University, Postgraduate

Link: http://www.tiemposmodernos.org/tm3/index.php/tm/article/view/333

Resource type: Graph

Format: Bar chart

Source: Perrone, S. T. (2013). "Carlos V, sus banqueros y las contribuciones eclesiásticas. Un análisis preliminar de los años 1540-1554", en Alonso, D. (Coord.), Historia Moderna y Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Tiempos modernos, nº 26, p. 10.

Language: Spanish

Date: 2013

Owner: Roberto José Alcalde López (Modernalia)

Copyright: ©Tiempos Modernos ©Sean Perrone

Abstract: Bar chart showing the evolution of loan payments by Charles V between 1540 and 1554 to German, Genoese, Castilian and Flemish lenders

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