Vistas - History Lab

View of Seville from the west bank of the river

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:30:33 +0000

After the conquest of Granada (1492), Andalusia was fully incorporated into the Habsburg monarchy, and the population increased throughout the 16th century. This increase in population was particularly significant in the city of Seville, which in the 16th century had more than 100,000 inhabitants thanks to the economic development brought about by trade with America. In fact, the port of Seville exercised a monopoly on American trade by establishing the Casa de Contratación (1503) in the city. As a result, it became one of the most important European cities, as it was the gateway for goods from the New World that would later be traded, via various routes, throughout Europe. The increase in Seville’s mercantile and financial activity attracted many Castilians and foreigners who flocked to the city, some to settle there and enjoy its riches, others to embark for the New World in search of new opportunities.

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Indies Fleet

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:30:33 +0000

The image shows a work attributed to Alonso Sánchez Coello and dated around 1576, showing a view of the city of Seville from the Triana district. It shows the arrival of the Flota de Indias, a fleet of galleons that connected the city with the American viceroyalties, across the River Guadalquivir. The Fleet of the Indies, also known as the Spanish Treasure Fleet, was the backbone of the Race of the Indies, as it enabled Spain’s trade and navigation with its colonies, and allowed the Spanish trade monopoly with America. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the fleets of the Indies brought the wealth and products of the Spanish viceroyalties in America to the Crown of Castile, some of the most important being silver, gold, gems and spices, and cocoa, among others. The galleons left from the city of Veracruz, in the Gulf of Mexico, and arrived in Seville on the Guadalquivir and later in Cadiz, from 1717. From 1520 onwards, due to the increase in English and French piracy, the security of transport increased, and convoy systems consisting of galleons armed with cannons were established. Trade with the Spanish colonies was tightly controlled, and only the port of Seville had a monopoly on this until 1717, when the Casa de la Contratación passed to Cadiz. Spain enjoyed this monopoly for more than two centuries, even though powers such as England, France and the Netherlands tried to take it away. Thanks to overseas trade, Spain became the richest country in Europe, which allowed it to finance various wars to expand its power.

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View of the Royal Chancery of Granada

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:30:03 +0000

The Royal Chancery of Granada was a judicial body established by the Catholic Monarchs in 1500, which became effective on the death of the Queen in 1505. This new institution inherited the powers of the previous Royal Court and Chancery of Ciudad Real, which had been established in that city in 1494. Its transfer to Granada had two main causes: the symbolic role that this city played in the reign and the monarchs’ intention to dominate this area politically. Its judicial powers extended to the territory south of the Tagus River, while the northern territories would be under the supervision of the Royal Court and Chancery of Valladolid. In 1531 King Charles I ordered the construction of the Palace of the Chancery, today located in Plaza Nueva, which was completed in 1587. The project was designed by the architect Francisco del Castillo el Mozo and the stonemasons Martín Díaz de Navarrete and Pedro Marín, and the sculptural work was carried out by Alonso Hernández. The courtyard has been attributed to the design of Diego de Siloé. During the 18th century, this institution gradually lost power and competences with the creation of the figure of the intendant. It finally disappeared in 1834 with the definitive establishment of liberalism in Spain

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View of Granada (1572)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:30:03 +0000

The resource shows a panoramic view of the city of Granada around 1572. It shows some of the most emblematic and representative places in the city, such as the Albaicín, Sierra Nevada, the Royal Hospital, the Alhambra and the Generalife. It is an image that also allows us to work on questions of the social, political and cultural life of the time. In the lower part of the image, the clothing worn by the figures depicted shows the different social groups that lived together in the city at that time: the Old Christians and the Moors. Four Moorish women are depicted wearing the almalafa, the large tunic that covers the head and face. It should be noted that from the beginning of the 16th century, decrees and provisions were issued listing Moorish practices that were to be eradicated. However, resistance was strong and by 1560 the situation was very tense. The policy of acculturation did not produce the expected results and the vast majority of the Moors, especially the women, continued to speak Arabic and wore forbidden clothes, as shown in these engravings from the Civitates orbis terrarum series, which date from precisely these years. The political and social tension finally led to the uprising of the Moors in the kingdom of Granada on Christmas Eve 1568, under the command of the Moorish nobleman Fernando de Córdoba y Valor, also known as Abén Humeya.

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