Law Books in the Hispanic Atlantic World: Spaces, Agents and the Consumption of Texts in the Early Modern Period

This paper analyses the distribution channels for law books in the Hispanic Atlantic world, the agents who took part in the circulation of books, and the recipients of consignments of books. The aim is to identify the infrastructure that underpinned the transport of books from Europe to the Spanish Crown’s American territories. In addition, an analysis of the distribution spaces and characteristics of supply provides an overview of the mechanisms that operated in the market for law books in the early modern period. As a result, it has been possible to identify instances of law libraries belonging to Crown and ecclesiastical officials as well as shipments delivered to booksellers, students and holders of civilian or ecclesiastical offices. It has also been possible to demonstrate the presence of pragmatic texts intended for a variety of audiences and to trace consignments bound for judicial officials and notaries, who needed compendiums of the laws and rules in effect in Spain’s overseas possessions.