Spain in the 17th Century

The Spanish Empire covered large parts of Europe and the Americas (the New World). The Spanish King controlled everything from Madrid, helped by noblemen he appointed as his assistants. Lesser nobles often left for the Americas, trying to find fortune in the New World. Spanish peasants stayed in Spain, or were conscripted into the army or navy.

The king needed silver from the New World to run his Empire. Without the treasure fleets, Spain would be bankrupt. Spain was almost always at war in Europe, either fighting the Dutch or fighting religious wars, and warfare cost money. English and Dutch ships raided the Spanish Main, so money was also needed to build galleons to protect the treasure fleets. The Spanish king was always eagerly awaiting the next fleet, as he had already borrowed money from European bankers, and needed the treasure to pay back his loan.

While the king ran the country, the Catholic church ran almost everything else. Religion was all important in Spain, and the Spanish Inquisition made sure that it stayed that way. Spain was also undergoing a cultural revival, and the Spanish court was able to patronize painters such as El Greco and Velasquez.

Running the Treasure Fleets

The headquarters of the Spanish Treasure Fleet operation was in Seville, in the south of Spain. In a building called the Casa de Contratación, the Council of the Indies supervised every aspect of the ships, men and treasure involved in the huge operation.

Nobody was allowed to travel in the ships or to carry any cargo without the approval of the Council. In effect, they controlled all transatlantic travel within the Spanish Empire! The whole system of using fleets meant that the ships arrived and departed at set times, and cargoes were loaded under the watchful eye of royal officials. The king was entitled to a fifth of the value of all cargo carried in the fleets, including the gold and silver. During the period from 1550 until 1700, huge quantities of treasure were shipped to Spain from the Americas, and only one fleet was lost to enemy attack (in 1628, when the Dutch captured the whole fleet off Cuba). This meant that the Spanish king could rely on a steady income from his colonies.

Science and Technology in the 17th Century

Despite almost constant war and upheaval in 17th century Europe, it was a time of major advances in science and technology. The world was moving into a new, modern age. One invention or discovery led to another and then another. Scientists like Galileo helped our understanding of the stars and astronomy, which also helped sailors, because they used the stars to navigate. For the first time, accurate maps and charts were made, and new discoveries drawn onto them. Developments in the science of anatomy meant that people understood how the human body worked. This led on to advances in medicine. The study of mathematics led to the invention of things we take for granted, like clocks, telescopes and thermometers. At the time, not everyone was in favor of science and technology. In Spain, the Catholic Church opposed almost all scientific development, and branded scientists like Galileo as ungodly. As a result, Spain was left behind by the rest of Europe, and did not advance as far technologically.