Al Servicio de la Corona. Los casos de Manuel Pessanha y Egidio Bocanegrauna perspectiva comparada

Résumé

In the first half of the 14th century, both Castile and Portugal sought the service of a Genoese, to serve at the command of their fleets, as admirals. Alongside the obvious experience as sailors both men shared, there are other subjacent factors, byproducts of the own context within Egidio Bocanegra and Manuel Pessanha entered to serve both crowns. The outcome of said employment were quite irregular, but their comparison draws light about the maritime trajectory of Portugal and Castile. Furthermore, both Genoese are quite good and successful examples of the integration of foreigners in the realm and the profiting of their intangible capital in the application of maritime politics for both crowns. The deep level of political and institutional integration of Portugal and Castile is evident in both cases, caused by a constant feedback between the kingdoms, derived by their geopolitical, dynastic and geostrategic rivalry. However, both cases offer unique particularities for the characterization of both admiralships.