Trading Methods and Family Strategies of Genoese People. Almería, XVIII century

Abstract

To emphasize the notarial documentation for the study of a social group it seems to be an unnecessary valuation. This research expects basically, from the notarial protocols as the essence of the research work and from the Catastro of Ensenada, completed with other sources, Accountancy books and Mortgages of the section of finance from the Almerías 's Provincial Historical Record Office, nobility documents, and registration of foreigners from the Almería"s Town Record Office, to approach to the flow of Genoese merchants who, during the 18th century, comes near the town of Almería. The investigation is centred in the processes that four Genoese families established in the town of Almería during the Seven hundred, Schiafino-Aste, Shiafino-Shiafino,Shiafino-Ansaldo and Iluminatti-Marin, developped to get the participation in the local administration and the establishment of some trading methods which, from the city of Almería and its jurisdiction, would be spread over the inner small towns of the province and towards an important branch along the levant peninsular coasts and the west of Andalucía. We must not forget the relationship that the almeriense ligur group kept up during the century with its home town Genoa, crystallizing in the establishment of a trading company developped on tha basis of economical interests of Genoese families from Santa Maria of Camogli and the city of Almería. The analysis is a approach, more than to economical aspects and the business world, to the relationship that it is set up between the formation of the families and the establishment of trading strategies that will take them to the participation in the markets.