La correspondance du consulat français de Barcelone (1679-1716) Informer comme un consul ou comme un marchand ?

The formal analysis of the correspondence of French consuls during the years of the construction of the French consulate in Barcelona (1679-1716) shows how a consul, coming from the world of trade, adapted his behaviour to fit in with a royal institution. Often the efficacy of a consul’s action rested solely on his ability to gather pertinent information, now hierarchized, as an instrument of effective action and his very position depended on this capacity.