Strangers within. The rise and fall of the New Christian trading elite. By Francisco Bethencourt. Pp. xx + 603 incl. 30 ills, 4 tables and 2 maps. Princeton–Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2024. £38. 978 0 691 20991 3

Key Points

• The central aim is to explore the emergence and decline of the New Christian trading elite and their significance in economic history.
• An in-depth historical analysis of economic practices
• Examinations of cultural dynamics within trade
• Utilization of quantitative data through tables and maps
• Identified key factors contributing to the rise of the New Christian trading elite
• Detailed the socio-economic impacts of their decline
• Highlighted cultural integration and conflicts within trading systems