Conclusion: Five Connected Histories of Knowledge? Portugal, Spain, France, England, the Dutch Republic, and Secrecy Policies

This chapter discusses the reasons for the overwhelming intensity and extension of Iberian maritime knowledge circulation among its maritime rivals (England, France, and the Dutch Republic) as early as the 16^th century, in a process that intensified throughout the 17^th century. It discusses why there is no reason to seriously consider the existence of a successful Iberian secrecy policy regarding maritime knowledge, and why those policies failed in most cases. Finally, it also argues that the dissemination of Iberian maritime knowledge contributed to the rise of early modern science.