El comercio internacional castellano a través del puerto de Laredo en la época de Felipe II según la correspondencia de Simón Ruiz

Abstract

This paper studies trade relations with Castile kept the economy of the North Atlantic, from the correspondence of the merchant Simón Ruiz. It analyzes merchandise imports, mostly linen fabrics, their distribution through the commercial network Castilian and financial relations associated with the main European markets. Business letters allow us to know in detail the means of transport used, the costs of hauling, the prices of goods and the benefits received from these transactions. The Cantabrian ports of Bilbao and Laredo are of great importance in this period, benefiting from the pacification of relations with France, however, increased military operations in the last third of the great insecurity generated, harming these trades. Added to this is the end of the good times he had driven to the Spanish economy