Changing braids for towers. The financing of the defensive system inthe Granada Kingdom coast: a venality operation in the reign of Carlos III

Abstract

In the reign of Carlos III, specially between 1762 and 1774, some operations to sell army employment were promoted by the Secretaria del Despacho de Guerra, using different modalities of venality to do that. One of the most exceptional was developed in the Granada Reign. The aim was reinforce their coast defensive system without any cost to the Real Treasure. They evaluated the fortification prices —towers, watchtowers, coast batteries— and they looked for some people who were interested in paying them. In exchange for that, the king would give them commissions in the Army. So, it was changing money to defensive fortifications for army employments. In this business, the candidate did a great investment but the king would return to them in two ways: in a material aspect, with a salary; and in the social aspect, with the prestige and honour of army career.