Polycentric Monarchies: How Did Early Modern Sp... -

The Early Modern Spanish Empire operated as a polycentric monarchy, functioning as a composite entity of multiple power centers—such as Lisbon and Milan—rather than a centralized state, utilizing a polysynodial system of councils. Governance relied on negotiated authority between the Crown and local elites, held together by informal networks,, elite mobility, and shared economic interests. For a detailed overview, see Amazon .