Weaving Cross-border networks in Early Modern Iberia

The act of giving rewards and gifts creates connections between individuals. Through the analysis of Queen Maria of Castile and Aragon’s gift-giving, we aim to understand how she constructed networks around her, reflecting on changes that reveal the strengthening of her position at court. The queen used her economic power to connect with the nobility, encompassing her birth and marriage territories, while stretching her reach to her natal family’s attendants. Maria further utilised her gifts to portray an image of a merciful and pious ruler who assisted members of the political community in her new realm in various circumstances.