Seville (American Trade Port)

Timeline

1. 1503Seville · AndalusiaOn January 20, 1503, the Catholic Monarchs ordered the establishment in Seville of the Casa de Contratación de las Indias, granting it full authority to register and inspect trade with the Americas, including reviewing cargo manifests, issuing emigration permits, collecting customs duties (almojarifazgo), and training pilots. Seville was chosen as the sole legal port for American trade thanks to the inland shipping advantages of its Guadalquivir River port, thereby establishing its status as the gateway to the empire.
2. 1511–1520Seville Port (Guadalquivir River docks) · AndalusiaBetween 1511 and 1520, gold, pearls, and tropical products from the Caribbean (Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico) poured steadily into Iberia through Seville, and the city's population and commercial institutions grew rapidly. Casa de Contratación archives show significant increases in registered ships and cargo values during this period. In 1519, Magellan's five ships departed from Sanlúcar near Seville on the first circumnavigation of the globe, further underscoring Seville's central role as the home port of global exploration.
3. 1520–1620Seville · AndalusiaFrom the mid-16th to the early 17th century, with the large-scale influx of American silver (especially from the Potosí mines), Seville reached its zenith, with a population at times exceeding 150,000, ranking among Europe's largest cities. The commercial exchange (Lonja de Mercaderes, predecessor of today's Archivo General de Indias) was completed in 1585, marking the maturation of the city's financial system. However, the limitation of relying on a great river to reach inland areas caused the Guadalquivir to gradually silt up, ultimately shifting the center of trade to Cádiz.