Il commercio dei cavalli tra Sardegna e Corona d’Aragona alla fine del XV secolo. Prime considerazioni

Seche, Giuseppe

2022-01-01

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Abstract

The study proposes early considerations on the horse trade between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the territories of the Crown of Aragon in the second half of the 15th century. The analysis is based on 51 export licenses and allows us to reconstruct the dynamics of a traffic regulated by the public authority, highlighting the officers involved in controlling and issuing of the related authorizations. The profiles of the subjects involved are those of professional merchants, in addition to members of urban high society, with roles in the administration of the city or kingdom, and those who transport horses on an occasional basis. Finally, there are some exponents of the feudal world, often in business with overseas merchants, who can claim franchises, tax exemptions and advantageous links with the officials of the kingdom. Among the places of destination are the great Iberian markets (Barcelona, Mallorca and Valencia) and some Italian cities (Naples, Piombino and Rome), where horses could be bought by high-ranking men (such as the major sacristan Alonso Cortés) and also be used for military reasons or for state service. This shows a risky trade but with large profit margins, carried out by specialized subjects who use vessels with particular technical characteristics. The continuation of the research will make it possible to clarify the knowledge on the tax treatment reserved for horses and raises new questions on the breeding practices, which had to respond to the continuous and regular demand for animals from the Iberian and Italian world.