Political Engagement and Popular Print in Spanish Naples (1503-1707)

What was published in Naples during the Spanish Vicerealm? What Neapolitan people read or were exposed to and how this literary production contributed to the construction of a politically-informed population? This book aims to answer these questions by going back to the sources, using new and previously ignored archival material and printed documents. What emerges is a vivid pictures of a vibrant printing industry and rich cultural landscape. The three moments of crisis of the 17th century - Vesuvius eruption, Masaniello's revolt and the plague epidemic - are used as a test of the capability of the Spanish authorities when it came to political and propagandistic communication.