Seville Casa de la Contratación

Timeline

1. 1503–1520Seville · SevilleIn 1503, Ferdinand and Isabella established the Casa de la Contratación in Seville, stipulating that all trade with the West Indies must be registered, taxed, and supervised by the crown there. The institution issued sailing licenses, inspected cargo, maintained the Padreón Real (General Map) and the register of pilots, making Seville the sole legal gateway to the empire's colonial trade.
2. 1560–1590Seville Port · SevilleAfter the treasure fleet system was institutionalized in the 1560s, the Casa became the core institution for registering annual fleet cargoes and American silver. Large quantities of silver arrived in Seville via the Guadalquivir River, where the Casa weighed, taxed, and distributed it, supporting imperial finances and Europe's price revolution; Seville's population and commerce expanded accordingly.
3. 1590–1600Seville · SevilleBy the late 1590s, silting of the Guadalquivir and increasing ship sizes led some voyages to dock at Cádiz instead, but the Casa maintained its legal monopoly and registration functions over colonial trade. Around 1600, Seville remained the symbol of the empire's trade system, with the Casa's archives, map room, and navigation academy still operating, laying the groundwork for the institution's relocation in the 17th century.