Silk, Satin, and Damask: Lima and the Closure of Triangular Trade with Mexico and Manila in the first half of 17th Century

Abstract

During the colonial period, a series of conditions put Lima in a privileged trade position. The creation of large trade consortiums in the first half of the 17th century brought about an effective control of the domestic market and a preferential status in the conduct of international trade. Lima merchants, known as peruleros, not only purchased goods from Seville; their trading networks stretched across Biscay, Portugal, Genoa, Milan, and the Pacific. This article aims to assess how trade factors, such as the perulero offensive in the Atlantic and the saturation of the Peruvian market, as well as the conflicts created by the intervention of officials and Mexico’s intermediation, led the Lima merchants to support the cessation of legitimate trade with an aim to monopolize illegal business between both regions.