By the end of the Middle Ages, the Bay of Cadiz had become one of the most important passages for international maritime traffic. Its strategic location between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic led to different foreign communities settling in the area, which was then encouraged.

Among them, the Portuguese represent one of the most important but least known communities. Settled in the region since its 13th century conquest by Castile, it was only in the late 15th century that the Portuguese community became demographically important. Among them were the ship owners, with their origins was mainly from the Algarve, and the merchants, many of whom settled in the region and invested in purchasing of land, especially vineyards, with the intention of selling produce to international markets.

Biographical note

Enrique José Ruiz Pilares holds a PhD from the Universidad de Cádiz (2017) and is a researcher in the PAIDI Medievalismo Gaditano Group (HUM 182) and the Agustín de Horozco Seminar of Ancient and Medieval History at the same university. His research focuses on the political, social and economic history of cities in the Lower Middle Ages, specifically in the geographic area of the historical kingdom of Seville. He is particularly interested in the analysis of power relations, the wine trade, and interactions between society and the environment produced by usage of new technologies. His main publications include: “Un exemple de relationscommerciales entre le Pays de Leon et l’Andalousieau debut du XVIessiece d’ apres le compted`un marchand de Morlaix”, Annales de Bretagne et des Pays de l’Ouest (2016) – in collaboration with Michel Bochaca -, “El paisaje pesquero de Jerez de la Frontera a finales de la Edad Media: caladeros, flota, distribución y consumo”, Historia. Instituciones. Documentos (2018); “Jerez de la Frontera: el gran centro productor del complejo portuario de la Bahía de Cádiz a finales de la Edad Media“, Revista Estudios sobre Patrimonio, Cultura y Ciencias Medievales, (2018).