Custom Duty [Almojarifazgo] in Santo Domingo Port

Customs duties, styled almojarifazgo in Castile, were among the most important sources of tax revenue in La Española during the sixteenth century. All goods imported from Seville were required to pay 7.5% of their commercial value upon entry into the port in Santo Domingo. Cloth and raw fabric were the most traded goods at La Española. However, the port was also a key point of entrance for the slave trade that emerged from the coasts of West Africa, and through the almojarifazgo, it constituted a steady revenue source for the kings of Castile. By analyzing these sources, we can gain a deeper understanding of the rhythms and numbers of the slave trade in the early Modern era.

This historical story emerged from research conducted as part of CUNY Dominican Studies Institute'sAI in the Archives project, led by Dr. Sergio Serrano and Dr. Abraham Liddell.

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