Round-Trip Luxury in the Palaces of Valsaín and La Granja I

Ricardo A. Fernández will deliver an introduction and a brief presentation of the agenda for these informative sessions on the theme: “Round-Trip Luxury in the Palaces of Valsaín and La Granja,” focusing on the historical period of La Carrera de Indias.

Ricardo A. Fernández. Engineer, writer, and coordinator of MUCAIN.

The Carrera de Indias was the longest-lasting, most effective, decisive, and successful naval operation in human history. It was undoubtedly one of the greatest commercial empires ever to exist.
This trade route was so lucrative that when its ships arrived at port, inflation skyrocketed. So effective that, over nearly 300 years of existence, only about 1% of its ships were captured or sunk by the enemies of the crown.
It was a commercial route, not one for passengers. There was little space for people, who traveled under terribly horrific conditions. The Casa de la Contratación, established by the Catholic Monarchs in 1503, regulated everything related to the Carrera de Indias.
When the ships set sail, they were packed with goods, animals, and people who lived and slept wherever they could for weeks on end. As the days passed, food and water became scarce, people fell ill, and the already strained relationships on board became even more tense. That’s why it was called “La Carrera” — a race against the clock, against the endurance of the people, against their skill on the seas, their stubborn determination, and their deep faith in God.

Eduardo Bernal González-Villegas. Naval Captain (Retired)

Also known as the Nao de China or Galeón de Acapulco, this was a Spanish trade route that operated for 250 years, specifically from 1565 to 1815. It connected Manila in the Philippines with Acapulco in New Spain and was the longest and most arduous voyage in the world at the time. It was essential for the exchange of ideas, goods, and people between the farthest reaches of the Spanish Empire.
The perilous outbound journey lasted approximately three months, while the return voyage could extend up to six months. It was a triumph of logistics, trade, technology, knowledge, tenacity, and effort unmatched by any nation of its time.
This route connected the East Indies with the West thanks to the Asian treasures that America and Europe demanded and the American silver that China required. Along with the Carrera de Indias, it united the entire globe for the first time in history, with Spain at the forefront of the first wave of globalization.

Captain Eduardo Bernal González-Villegas has accumulated nearly 2000 days at sea, serving aboard nine ships, and held positions as second-in-command and commander of several of them. He participated in the embargo operations against Iraq during the First Gulf War and has held various land-based assignments, such as at the NATO Maritime Component Command in Naples.
Currently retired, his last post was at the Naval History and Culture Institute, where he continues as an advisory collaborator and is a member of the editorial board of the Naval History Journal. He is a corresponding member of the Uruguayan Academy of Maritime and River History and the Brownian Academy of Buenos Aires. He is also a speaker on the Onda Pesquera program on Radio España.

Eduardo Juárez Valero. Professor at Carlos III University and Chronicler of the Royal Site.

The Carrera de Indias and the Manila Galleon were, as we know, maritime trade routes, but the vast quantity of goods they transported did not remain confined to the ports. Through valleys and mountains, inns and moors, the long tentacles of the Carrera de Indias reached every town and village of the vast Spanish Empire. Traversing the complex roads of the time, and after crossing half the world, the most extraordinary, luxurious, and exotic objects arrived for nearly three centuries at the palaces of La Granja and Valsaín. Only King Philip II boasted the largest collection of Chinese porcelain in Europe at the time, consisting of approximately 3,100 pieces — porcelains, tibors, lacquers, ivories, Fu lions, plants, animals… But how did all these luxurious treasures, with astronomical prices, make their way to our palaces?

Professor Eduardo Juárez, with his unique and renowned eloquence, will captivate us all as if we had journeyed in one of those caravans laden with wonders, traveling from the ports to the palaces across the entire globe.

Dr. Eduardo Juárez Valero has over twenty years of experience in teaching, both in-person, blended, and online, at more than seven national and international universities. With over forty academic publications, 15 books, and expertise in media outreach at local, regional, and national levels, he is currently the Associate Dean for Quality at the Faculty of Humanities, Communication, and Documentation at Carlos III University of Madrid.

Úrsula Camba. Doctor in History from El Colegio de México.

The Spanish Empire was undoubtedly one of the largest the world has ever known, with possessions across every known continent. Like any empire throughout history, Spain’s power rested on trade, but the economic heart of that Spain was not Seville, nor Madrid for that matter. The commercial heart of that Spain was the present-day Mexico City, where the two greatest trade routes of its time converged: The Carrera de Indias and the Manila Galleon.

Mexico was the opulent capital of the Kingdom of New Spain, a kingdom that stretched from the south of Alaska to Costa Rica, from Puerto Rico to the Philippines. The Consulate of Mexico was the body that controlled both internal and external trade throughout the entire viceroyalty.

Dr. Úrsula Camba will take us live from Mexico City, immersing us in the astonishing world of New Spain — its landscapes, places, customs, trades, and the figures who, for nearly 300 years, formed the most powerful, prosperous, and dynamic territory within the Spanish monarchy.

Úrsula Camba Ludlow holds a Ph.D. in history from El Colegio de México, is an independent researcher, and a writer. She specializes in historical consulting for TV series and in promoting history through digital media and social networks.

Julio Reoyo. Chef and Co-owner of Doña Filo Restaurant with three Michelin stars.

Since the discovery of fire, humanity had never experienced a gastronomic revolution as profound as the one brought about by the products and animals that crowded the ships of the Carrera de Indias.

The introduction of American foods into Spain, Spanish products and animals into America, and the exchange between both continents and Asia, marked the first time in history that the entire world changed its eating habits through a commercial route. This shift in diet brought significant health benefits and improved nutrition, saving many from malnutrition.

Today, it is almost impossible to find a typical dish—not only in Hispanic countries but also in much of the world—that does not include an ingredient that, originally, was transported on the ships of the Carrera de Indias or the Galeón de Manila. The gastronomic revolution brought about by the Carrera de Indias is a testament to the lasting impact this trade had on global food culture.

Julio Reoyo is a renowned chef and co-owner of the Doña Filo Restaurant in Colmenar del Arroyo (Madrid), with three Michelin stars awarded across three different projects.