Bread provision in seventeenth century Madrid

Abstract

Bread market was the most important provision markets, so the complexity of intervention system. The aim of provision policy was to guarantee the continuous supply of bread at moderate and stable prices. The means included the regulation the price, the direct provision by the public granary and, in the case of the court, the named registered bread. This paper examines the tax policy, the government requirements and the movement of bread prices in Madrid and wheat prices in the markets of origin.

Keywords

• abasto urbano
• pan
• mercado
• intervención
• madrid
• siglo xvii