Manuscritos
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Municipal Library of Porto
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Rua de D. João IV 17, 4049-017 Porto
Contact information: phone number
00351 225193480
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
bmp@cm-porto.pt
Reference number
MS.
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Manuscritos
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Biblioteca Pública Municipal do Porto
Date note
12th century/18th century
Language(s)
heb
por
Extent
c. 2,015 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The manuscript collection of the Biblioteca Pública Municipal do Porto contains miscellaneous items gathered by subject. Some of them include Jewish-related materials, as the following examples:
MS. 98: Manuscript copy of a Hebrew grammar including the Sefer Miḥlol by David Kimḥi (c. 1160-c. 1235), whose composition probably dates back to the early 15th century. It is written in semi-cursive Sephardic characters, and it was probably composed in the Iberian Peninsula. In the list of books from the library of the Convento de Santa Cruz de Coimbra received by the Biblioteca Pública do Porto after its extinction in 1834, the historian Alexandre Herculano, then librarian in the Biblioteca, mentions a codice in folio as “Kimki Fundamento de todas as grammaticas em hebraico”, which is probably a reference to the Kimḥi’s grammar (see Madahil, 1942).
MS. 105: copy of the Zohar containing only the commentary to the Genesis. It is written in Italian semi-cursive characters, and it would have been composed in the Italian Peninsula in the second half of the 15th century (see Moita, 2017).
MS. 227: 18th-century copy of a genealogical list of descendants of Jews who were converted to Christianity in Barcelos (Northern Portugal) in 1497, at the occasion of the forced conversions. It includes a list of Jewish children taken to their parents by the local authorities to be baptised (see Soyer, 2013).
MS. 474; MS. 711-721: manuscript copies of writings by the Jesuit António Vieira (1608-1697), some of them related to the New Christian question and the reform of the Inquisition proceedings.
MS. 98: Manuscript copy of a Hebrew grammar including the Sefer Miḥlol by David Kimḥi (c. 1160-c. 1235), whose composition probably dates back to the early 15th century. It is written in semi-cursive Sephardic characters, and it was probably composed in the Iberian Peninsula. In the list of books from the library of the Convento de Santa Cruz de Coimbra received by the Biblioteca Pública do Porto after its extinction in 1834, the historian Alexandre Herculano, then librarian in the Biblioteca, mentions a codice in folio as “Kimki Fundamento de todas as grammaticas em hebraico”, which is probably a reference to the Kimḥi’s grammar (see Madahil, 1942).
MS. 105: copy of the Zohar containing only the commentary to the Genesis. It is written in Italian semi-cursive characters, and it would have been composed in the Italian Peninsula in the second half of the 15th century (see Moita, 2017).
MS. 227: 18th-century copy of a genealogical list of descendants of Jews who were converted to Christianity in Barcelos (Northern Portugal) in 1497, at the occasion of the forced conversions. It includes a list of Jewish children taken to their parents by the local authorities to be baptised (see Soyer, 2013).
MS. 474; MS. 711-721: manuscript copies of writings by the Jesuit António Vieira (1608-1697), some of them related to the New Christian question and the reform of the Inquisition proceedings.
Archival history
The Manuscritos collection is composed of manuscripts from libraries of convents and monasteries closed down in the early 1830s and incorporated into the “bens Nacionais” (national assets). These libraries were gathered by the Comissão Administrativa dos Conventos Extintos ou Abandonados da Província do Douro (Administrative Committee of the Extinct or Abandoned Convents from the Douro Region) before the transference to the newly-founded Real Biblioteca Pública do Porto (Royal Public Library of Porto). Between 1832 and 1835, the Comissão collected libraries from convents and monasteries located in Porto and outside the city, namely the convents of Serra do Pilar, Santo António do Vale da Piedade, Congregação de Oliveira do Douro, Conceição de Matosinhos, Formiga, Paço de Sousa, Alpendurada, Santo Tirso, Vila do Conde (S. Francisco, Carmo e Santo António de Azurara), Tibães, Vila da Feira (Cucujães e Lóios), and Santa Cruz de Coimbra. The manuscripts from the monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra were divided between the Livraria de mão and Manuscritos collections.
The original collection of the Real Biblioteca Pública was also composed of expropriated private collections that used to belong to secular and regular clergy and to “Miguelistas” (the defeated faction of the Liberal Wars). It was the case of the library of bishop D. João de Magalhães e Avelar, who left Porto after the victory of the Liberals. His personal library was composed of up to 36,000 printed volumes and about 300 manuscripts. Another private library incorporated into the Biblioteca Pública’s collection belonged to the Viscount of Balsemão and comprised 278 manuscripts and about 5,000 printed volumes.
Therefore, the Manuscritos collections gather most of the manuscript items of these original collections of the Biblioteca Pública Municipal do Porto, together with other later incorporations.
The original collection of the Real Biblioteca Pública was also composed of expropriated private collections that used to belong to secular and regular clergy and to “Miguelistas” (the defeated faction of the Liberal Wars). It was the case of the library of bishop D. João de Magalhães e Avelar, who left Porto after the victory of the Liberals. His personal library was composed of up to 36,000 printed volumes and about 300 manuscripts. Another private library incorporated into the Biblioteca Pública’s collection belonged to the Viscount of Balsemão and comprised 278 manuscripts and about 5,000 printed volumes.
Therefore, the Manuscritos collections gather most of the manuscript items of these original collections of the Biblioteca Pública Municipal do Porto, together with other later incorporations.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Real Biblioteca Pública da Cidade do Porto (Royal Public Library of the City of Porto) was founded in 1833. It was headquartered in the Hospício de Santo António de Vale da Piedade (1834-1831) and in the Paço Episcopal (1836-1841) before moving to the former Convento de Santo António da Cidade in 1841, which had been donated to the municipality of Porto two years before.
After the Liberal Wars and the dissolution of the male religious orders in 1834, the Real Biblioteca received libraries belonging to monasteries, such as the Convento de Santa Cruz de Coimbra. In addition, it also incorporated private collections of some individuals connected to the conservative absolutist faction (the “Miguelistas”), such as bishop D. João de Magalhães e Avelar.
The decree that founded the Real Biblioteca also stipulated that it should receive every book printed in Portugal from then on, a privilege shared with the Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa (National Library of Lisbon).
Diogo de Góis Lara de Andrade and Alexandre Herculano were the first librarians of the Real Biblioteca Pública do Porto and were responsible for the first organisation and cataloguing of its collections. After the 1840s, internal and external stability provided conditions for the development of the library under the directions of Antero Albano da Silveiro Pinto (1844-1885) and Eduardo Allen (1885-1899). The building was extended after the demolition of the church of the former convent of Santo António, the management of the bibliographic and documental fonds was improved, and the library’s collection increased with new acquisitions and donations.
During the 19th century, the Real Biblioteca do Porto was organised in 4 sections: the “Gabinete de Manuscritos” (Department of Manuscripts), the “Oficina de Encadernações” (Bookbinding Workshop), the secretariat and the “Serviço de Leitura Nocturna” (Service of Night Reading), created in 1884 to give the working class access to the library. The Department of Manuscripts had the goal of cataloguing the 1,200 manuscript volumes that were part of the library’s collection. The library’s direction also endeavoured to print catalogues of its collections. From 1879 to 1896, the catalogue of printed books was published in fascicles. Afterwards, from 1897 onwards, the manuscripts’ catalogue was published. It was followed by the publication of catalogues organised by specialised fields and catalogues of periodicals and incunabula. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a renewed effort to transcribe and publish some manuscripts from the library’s collection. The “Collecção de Manuscritos Inéditos” (Collection of Unpublished Manuscripts) was an endeavour of the amanuensis José Maria Augusto da Costa and the librarian Sampaio Bruno, and it was published until 1923.
After the implementation of the Portuguese Republic, the library changed its designation to Biblioteca Pública do Porto, and it was awarded a statute of autonomy. The Law of Separation of State and Church (1911) led to the incorporation of the registry of the Cabido do Porto (later, in 1933, transferred to the Arquivo Distrital do Porto) and other collections from ecclesiastical institutions. The ever-growing volume of the library’s collection forced a new reorganisation of its services and structures in the 1920s. Among several changes, a section of manuscripts and restricted books was created. In 1947, the library’s organic units were restructured again. At present, the manuscripts, rare printed books, maps, iconography, and other special collections can be consulted in the “Sala de Colecções Especiais Eugénio de Andrade” (Special Collections Room Eugénio de Andrade) on the first floor of the building.
After the Liberal Wars and the dissolution of the male religious orders in 1834, the Real Biblioteca received libraries belonging to monasteries, such as the Convento de Santa Cruz de Coimbra. In addition, it also incorporated private collections of some individuals connected to the conservative absolutist faction (the “Miguelistas”), such as bishop D. João de Magalhães e Avelar.
The decree that founded the Real Biblioteca also stipulated that it should receive every book printed in Portugal from then on, a privilege shared with the Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa (National Library of Lisbon).
Diogo de Góis Lara de Andrade and Alexandre Herculano were the first librarians of the Real Biblioteca Pública do Porto and were responsible for the first organisation and cataloguing of its collections. After the 1840s, internal and external stability provided conditions for the development of the library under the directions of Antero Albano da Silveiro Pinto (1844-1885) and Eduardo Allen (1885-1899). The building was extended after the demolition of the church of the former convent of Santo António, the management of the bibliographic and documental fonds was improved, and the library’s collection increased with new acquisitions and donations.
During the 19th century, the Real Biblioteca do Porto was organised in 4 sections: the “Gabinete de Manuscritos” (Department of Manuscripts), the “Oficina de Encadernações” (Bookbinding Workshop), the secretariat and the “Serviço de Leitura Nocturna” (Service of Night Reading), created in 1884 to give the working class access to the library. The Department of Manuscripts had the goal of cataloguing the 1,200 manuscript volumes that were part of the library’s collection. The library’s direction also endeavoured to print catalogues of its collections. From 1879 to 1896, the catalogue of printed books was published in fascicles. Afterwards, from 1897 onwards, the manuscripts’ catalogue was published. It was followed by the publication of catalogues organised by specialised fields and catalogues of periodicals and incunabula. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a renewed effort to transcribe and publish some manuscripts from the library’s collection. The “Collecção de Manuscritos Inéditos” (Collection of Unpublished Manuscripts) was an endeavour of the amanuensis José Maria Augusto da Costa and the librarian Sampaio Bruno, and it was published until 1923.
After the implementation of the Portuguese Republic, the library changed its designation to Biblioteca Pública do Porto, and it was awarded a statute of autonomy. The Law of Separation of State and Church (1911) led to the incorporation of the registry of the Cabido do Porto (later, in 1933, transferred to the Arquivo Distrital do Porto) and other collections from ecclesiastical institutions. The ever-growing volume of the library’s collection forced a new reorganisation of its services and structures in the 1920s. Among several changes, a section of manuscripts and restricted books was created. In 1947, the library’s organic units were restructured again. At present, the manuscripts, rare printed books, maps, iconography, and other special collections can be consulted in the “Sala de Colecções Especiais Eugénio de Andrade” (Special Collections Room Eugénio de Andrade) on the first floor of the building.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are arranged sequentially.
Access, restrictions
The access to the documents in poor condition of conservation could be limited for safeguarding and preserving the institution's documentary heritage.
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Linked resources
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