F and I economy

Question 1

5 examples of their expenditure

Answer 1

• military spending over period 500 million maravedis
  -Catherine of Aragon marriage to Arthur Tudor cost 60 million maravedis
  -cost of 2 expeditions to Naples 454 million maravedis
  -Last 10 years of Isabellas reign 75 million maravedis spent on ambassadors
  -spending on royal militia was 80 million by 1504

Question 2

5 examples of income

Answer 2

• 10% loans from nobles
  -revenue of Cruzada from church doubled to 112 million maravedis
  -90% of revenue came from the alacabla or sales tax
  -large sums of money form the Castilian cortes in special taxes amounting to 300 m million maravedis in years 1500-04
  -wool trade

Question 3

3 major financial reforms

Answer 3

• all noble claims to land reviewed and their claims to Mercedes (grants given by the crown)
  -central record started to the kept
  -tax farms audited every 2 years

Question 4

Drawbacks off the financial reforms

Answer 4

• nobles gain more Mercedes than started with by bribing officials
  -mad substantial loans to the crown at 10% interest which was a burden to f and I
  -during 1490s no duties collected for sheep

Question 5

successes of the wool trade

Answer 5

• sees Castile move into economic dominance as decline of commercial empire
  -sheep easy to look after
  -exporting to England and France helps political alliances

Question 6

failures of the wool trade

Answer 6

• over reliance
• Mesta becoming too powerful

Question 7

Overall judgement on economy

Answer 7

economy was in weak position by 1516, expenditure was more than income which led to hefty reliance on high interest loans of the nobles. Could argue Isabella was more concerned with religious aims as well as saying they survived without going bankrupt