Wool for Grapes: The Methuen Treaty

Author:

Thomas Briggs

Report:

5

Page:

16

Year:

1978

Subject Matter:

Lisbon and OPorto Factory Houses, British Merchants and Ec. Relations

Excerpt:

The well-known Methuen Treaty was a commercial pact between England and Portugal that had important economic consequences for both countries. It was concluded on the 27th of December 1703 by John Methuen, envoy to Portugal, and the Portuguese Conde de Alegrete. Portugal agreed to admit English textiles and in return England imported port wine at a duty rate one third lower than that imposed on French wines.

To orientate the reader to the conditions that led to the agreement, I am going to give some historical background to it. Generally the history books dealing with the Methuen Treaty talk about the higher profits of wine in relation to wheat as the reason for the replacement of the former for the latter, but they don't go deeply into all the aspects involved. In addition to political and economic factors, I will consider phenomena such as soil quality, precipitation and topography as important factors.

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