[WalterBright]

> a country not known for its vast wealth

Its looting of the gold and silver from S. America apparently didn't help.

[Apocryphon]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_disease

[UncleSlacky]

They brought so much to Europe that they crashed the market.

[WalterBright]

Indeed. All they got was inflation. Just like our government flooding the country with printed money. Same cause, same effect It's not a mystery what causes inflation, and inflation does not result in prosperity.