Abstract: Based on a case study of the Batalha and Jerónimos monasteries, the royal palaces of Sintra and da Alcáçova in Lisbon, and the New Customs House (Alfândega) in Funchal, this article aims to analyze the different types of work contracts used on large royal construction sites in Portugal in the fifteenth and early sixteenth century. It examines contracts for the day, those at a fixed rate, and a long-term contract with annual remuneration in order to understand the criteria for choosing each type of contract.
