MILITARY PROMOTIONS OF NAUTICAL TEACHERS BY THE END OF THE 18TH CENTURY: REWARD FOR MERITS OR A MEANS TO CONTROL NAUTICAL SCHOOLS?

By the end of the 18th century the Spanish nautical school teachers were military promoted as a means to reward their devotion to teaching and their input as cosmographers. These well-deserved promotions were also a way to acknowledge their taking part in several military conflicts during which teachers had defended the Spanish Crown. However, the following paper will discuss the fact that some of these promotions were used by the Escuelas Particulares (Private Schools) and the Real Junta Particular de Comercio (Royal Particular Joint Trade Board) of Barcelona as a tool which allowed teachers to become members of the Spanish Royal Navy.