La Fortuna de las Ciudades, 1500-1700

Abstract

This article examines the economic evolution of the Spanish cities from 1500 until 1700, considering the close relationship that exists between demographic and economic growth within them. The essay also takes into account the evolution of the levels of urbanization as an indication of the periods of different strength in the urban economic activity. Accordingly, the author peruses the evolution of the different sectors of the urban economy (finance, trade, industry) trying to explain the influence of each of them upon the evolution of the urban network, highlighting at the differences that occur both at the chronological and regional levels.