Paper short abstract:

In 1457, the Pisan merchant Michele da Colle left his hometown and travelled to the Iberian Peninsula, where he would stay until 1475, first living in Valencia and then in Lisbon. In this paper, we examine his business activities and life experience during this period.

Paper long abstract:

Michele da Colle, a merchant-banker from the company group Salviati of Pisa, settled in Lisbon between 1462 and 1475. However, before arriving in Portugal, he lived for about 5 years in Valencia. This stay was important not only for the formation of this young merchant, but also for the establishment of commercial and financial links with the most prominent merchants settled in Valencia, like the Cambini agents.

Our main sources are the two account books (a ledger and a diary) that Michele produced between 1462 and 1463 when he was in Lisbon. We will also consider some of the ledgers from another Salviati company (Francesco di Nerone), which provides us with information about the years he lived in the city of Valencia. Portuguese documents about his presence are scant, but they will also be considered.

In this paper, we examine Michele's choice of markets and how he managed to articulate his business interests between these two cities. Moreover, we attempt to reconstitute his route between Valencia and Lisbon, which included somestrategic stops in cities like Seville, Cadiz and Tavira. In addition, we identify the commercial and financial interests offered both by Valencia and Lisbon, and the type of network he established and his integration strategies in the Portuguese society. His commercial records also provide insight on the material and cultural exchanges between Italy and the Iberian Peninsula during this period. A special attention is given to the exchange letters traded between Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona, Pisa, Rome and Florence.