El crédito en el comercio lanero en la región soriana durante los siglos XVI y XVII1

In this article the author pays attention to the role of credit in the negotiation of wool sales by big and small flockowners in the region of Soria during the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries. He proves that the small flockowners always sold their wool several months in advance of its delivery, in order to borrow money from the merchants that bought it. Next he proves that during the sixteenth century the big flockowners usually sold their wool to the merchants on conditions and could delay the payment for a long period of time; they also obtained favorable very good prices for their products. Finally he proves that in the course of the seventeenth century the big flockowners of Soria had to face increasing financial difficulties that forced them to borrow money with increasing frequency in order to be able to preserve their flocks.