Abstract
<jats:p xml:lang="en">This book explores one of the most ambitious campaigns undertaken by Spanish Empire: the “invasion” of Catholic altars with an unprecedented number of saints. Between 1500 and 1700, more than half of the saints canonized by the pope hailed from Spain and the Spanish colonies. Whilst scholarship has suggested that this trend evidenced a power imbalance between the Crown and the Holy See, this work proposes a more dynamic interpretation. By revealing previously unexplored networks established between Spain, Italy, and the Americas for the flow of pious capitals, this study demonstrates that the sanctification en masse of Hispanic candidates promoted a potent cultural narrative: one that bolstered Spain’s spiritual hegemony within the Catholic world, thereby legitimizing its political rule on a global scale.</jats:p>