14th-19th c. Commercial Revolution

16th century sees:

Shift in power and wealth to Spain, England

Population growth in Europe, to about 90million

Dropping wages, rising prices, debasedcurrencies (along with wars and dwindlinggold and silver supplies) economic crisisin 17th c.

16th c. Expansion of long-distance trade withinand outside Europe

Map Link: Portuguese and Spanish trade routes, 16th century:

<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/16th_century_Portuguese_Spanish_trade_routes.png/800px-16th_century_Portuguese_Spanish_trade_routes.png>

Growth of banks:

Despite church objections

“Usury” vs. “legitimate return”

Falling interest rates

Productive loans

Bank of Amsterdam

Mercantilism:

Government policies supporting andpromoting trade

Improving economy by: introducing newindustries; giving privileges to employersand exporters; promoting trade on nationallevel; negotiating trade treaties; establishingnational tariffs/customs duties; establishingtrading companies (e.g. English East IndiaCompany, est. 1600)

Map Link: Spain, 910-1492:

<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd_1911/shepherd-c-082-083.jpg>

1469 Marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon(1452-1516) and Isabella of Castile(1457-1504)

Controlling Cortes (parliaments)

1478 Establishment of Holy Office of theInquisition in Castile (and Aragon in1483)

1490 Muslim territories reduced to Granada

Jan 1492 Surrender of Granada

Mar 1492 Expulsion of the Jews from Spain

Apr 1492 Voyage of Christopher Columbus(Colon) commissioned

1491 Joanna (the Mad, d. 1555) married toPhilip the Fair of Habsburg (d. 1506)

Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I(r. 1493-1519)

1516 Charles inherits Spain

1519-56 Reign of Charles as Holy RomanEmperor (Charles V)

Map Link: Habsburg territories in 1556:

<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Habsburg_Map_1547.jpg>

1556 Abdication of Charles V (d. 1558)

Ferdinand I becomes Holy Roman Emperor(r. 1556-64)

Philip II gets Spain, Netherlands, AmericasItalian territories (r. 1556-98)

1580 Philip takes Portugal

Sponsoring Spanish colonisation of thePhilippines

Map Link: The Philippines:

<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/islands_oceans_poles/philippines.gif>

Jan 1567 Philip issues decree against Moriscos(Muslim converts to Christianity)

1570 Moriscos resettled in Castile and Aragon

1609 Moriscos expelled

1571:Selim II (r. 1566-74) takes Cyprus

Formation of Holy League

Battle of Lepanto (Oct 7)