Cartório do Cabido da Sé de Braga
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Braga District Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Rua do Abade da Loureira, 4700-356 Braga
Contact information: phone number
00351 253601082 (general)
00351 253601080 (research and reproduction services)
00351 253601080 (research and reproduction services)
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
sec@adb.uminho.pt (general)
adb@adb.uminho.pt (research and reproduction services)
adb@adb.uminho.pt (research and reproduction services)
Reference number
PT/UM-ADB/DIO/CSB
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Registry of the Cathedral Chapter of Braga
Title (official language of the state)
Cartório do Cabido da Sé de Braga
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Cabido da Sé de Braga
Date(s)
835/1905
Language(s)
lat
por
Extent
c. 10,000 documents and c. 2,000 books and bundles
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Cartório do Cabido da Sé de Braga fonds includes an important collection of Medieval documentation related to the Cathedral Chapter’s estates. The “cabido” detained most of the urban properties in Braga in the 14th-15th centuries, when a significant Jewish community resided in the city. Therefore, this is an essential archival fonds to collect information on this community and its implementation in the urban space. Two series are particularly rich in Jewish-related data: the “Livros de Prazos” (books of emphyteusis) and the “Tombo do Cabido” (the Cathedral Chapter’s inventories).
The first volumes of the 123 “Livros de Prazos” are dated from the 15th century. They have numerous references to Jews who were “foreiros” (had emphyteusis contracts) of properties of the Cathedral Chapter since 1466, when the Jewish community was transferred from the “judiaria velha” (old Jewish quarter), located in the so-called Rua da Erva, to a new quarter, the “judiaria nova” (new Jewish quarter), in the area where nowadays is Rua de Santo António das Travessas. This relocation is mentioned in the first “Livro de Prazos” (liv. 1, fls. 10-10v). References to Jews in the 15th-century “Livros de Prazos” were mapped and analysed by António Losa (1982), who also transcribed some extracts of these books; José Salgueiro Cerqueira (1998); José Marques (1981); and Maria do Carmo Ribeiro (especially in 2019). These works are a good starting point to explore this documentary series.
The “Tombo do Cabido de Braga” (c. 1369-1380) locates several Jews residing in houses and properties belonging to the Cathedral Chapter before they were concentrated in a specific quarter.
Besides these series, it is also possible to find other evidence on the Jewish community of Braga disseminated through other 14th- and 15th-century documents of the Cabido de Braga fonds. It is the case of the “Livros de Sentenças” (“books of sentences”), seven books dating from 1330 to 1795, containing records related to disputes involving the Cathedral Chapter. In the “Livro 3.º” (3rd book), a record reports that a Jewish merchant named Juda Cema had been appointed to serve as “juiz comissário” (delegated judge) in a dispute between a “rendeiro das sisas” (who had rented the transfer tax) and the canons of the chapter in 1489 (doc. 39) (see Tavim and Mucznik, 2018).
The first volumes of the 123 “Livros de Prazos” are dated from the 15th century. They have numerous references to Jews who were “foreiros” (had emphyteusis contracts) of properties of the Cathedral Chapter since 1466, when the Jewish community was transferred from the “judiaria velha” (old Jewish quarter), located in the so-called Rua da Erva, to a new quarter, the “judiaria nova” (new Jewish quarter), in the area where nowadays is Rua de Santo António das Travessas. This relocation is mentioned in the first “Livro de Prazos” (liv. 1, fls. 10-10v). References to Jews in the 15th-century “Livros de Prazos” were mapped and analysed by António Losa (1982), who also transcribed some extracts of these books; José Salgueiro Cerqueira (1998); José Marques (1981); and Maria do Carmo Ribeiro (especially in 2019). These works are a good starting point to explore this documentary series.
The “Tombo do Cabido de Braga” (c. 1369-1380) locates several Jews residing in houses and properties belonging to the Cathedral Chapter before they were concentrated in a specific quarter.
Besides these series, it is also possible to find other evidence on the Jewish community of Braga disseminated through other 14th- and 15th-century documents of the Cabido de Braga fonds. It is the case of the “Livros de Sentenças” (“books of sentences”), seven books dating from 1330 to 1795, containing records related to disputes involving the Cathedral Chapter. In the “Livro 3.º” (3rd book), a record reports that a Jewish merchant named Juda Cema had been appointed to serve as “juiz comissário” (delegated judge) in a dispute between a “rendeiro das sisas” (who had rented the transfer tax) and the canons of the chapter in 1489 (doc. 39) (see Tavim and Mucznik, 2018).
Archival history
The Cartório do Cabido da Sé de Braga is one of the most important ecclesiastical registries in Portugal. In the 18th century, the collection was reorganised by canon Francisco Pacheco Pereira, who arranged the documents by subject and stored them in 30 “gavetas” (drawers) identified according to their contents. Then, the canon also composed an 8-volume index of this collection.
The Cartório do Cabido da Sé de Braga became part of the original collection of the Arquivo Distrital de Braga (Braga District Archive), founded on August 11, 1917. Then, it was annexed to the Biblioteca Pública de Braga (Braga Public Library). However, during the first decades, the Arquivo Distrital de Braga’s collection was dispersed in different buildings and subject to poor conditions of conservation. In 1934, the archive was transferred to the Paço do Arcebispo D. José de Bragança, where it is located at present. In 1976, the Arquivo Distrital and the Biblioteca Pública de Braga were incorporated in the University of Minho.
The Cartório do Cabido da Sé de Braga became part of the original collection of the Arquivo Distrital de Braga (Braga District Archive), founded on August 11, 1917. Then, it was annexed to the Biblioteca Pública de Braga (Braga Public Library). However, during the first decades, the Arquivo Distrital de Braga’s collection was dispersed in different buildings and subject to poor conditions of conservation. In 1934, the archive was transferred to the Paço do Arcebispo D. José de Bragança, where it is located at present. In 1976, the Arquivo Distrital and the Biblioteca Pública de Braga were incorporated in the University of Minho.
Administrative / Biographical history
Founded in 1071 by Bishop D. Pedro, the Cabido da Sé de Braga (Cathedral Chapter of Braga) was a corporation or community of ecclesiastics who advised the bishop on the governance of the diocese and were responsible for organising the cult in the Cathedral church. Over the centuries, the Chapter took on different functions, which were established in different synodal constitutions and by-laws. In 1165, archbishop D. João Peculiar confirmed the chapter’s statutes and limited them to 40 canons. In 1545, the geographical jurisdiction of the Braga Cathedral was reduced after the establishment of the diocese of Miranda. In 1600, archbishop D. Frei Agostinho de Jesus reformed the statutes, which remained the same until 1949.
At present, the Cabido da Sé de Braga is also known as Cabido Metropolitano e Primacial Bracarense, and it is an advisory body with liturgical functions and the responsibility of safeguarding the Cathedral’s patrimony and decorum.
At present, the Cabido da Sé de Braga is also known as Cabido Metropolitano e Primacial Bracarense, and it is an advisory body with liturgical functions and the responsibility of safeguarding the Cathedral’s patrimony and decorum.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
The access is limited depending on the conservation condition of the documents.
Finding aids
Transcription of the 18th-century manuscript indexes composed by canon Francisco Pacheco Pereira of the Cabido's “gavetas” and correspondence (see Archival History).
It is available in the archive’s reading room a group of files with information on the “emprazamentos” (emphyteusis) of houses in Braga belonging to the cathedral chapter: 2616 files, from 1406 to 1905, containing the leaseholder’s name, profession, civil status, type and date of the contract and house’s location. A database with information on the “emprazamentos” of “casais” (rural properties) is being constructed.
It is available in the archive’s reading room a group of files with information on the “emprazamentos” (emphyteusis) of houses in Braga belonging to the cathedral chapter: 2616 files, from 1406 to 1905, containing the leaseholder’s name, profession, civil status, type and date of the contract and house’s location. A database with information on the “emprazamentos” of “casais” (rural properties) is being constructed.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Distrital de Braga | Collections (official language of the state) |