Archival Corpus

Since the 18th century, the Spanish territory has been divide in three big maritime Departments: Ferrol, Cadis (includes the Canary Islands) and Cartagena (includes Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia and the Balearic Islands). Each Department is divided in Maritime Provinces (that have changed along the years) and the main port in every province has a Capitania or main office. Minor offices in small ports were called Ayudantías. Although officialy every Capitania should dispatch the old documents to the capital of the Department (to be sent later to the central archive in Madrid or in Viso del Marques (see AGMAB) most of the local archives have been destroyed or lost. There is no inventory and it is quite difficult to locate surviving sources. At the Capitana Marítima de Palma de Mallorca we have located three incomplete yet very interesting collections.