Próprias
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Porto Municipal Historical Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Rua da Alfândega 10, 4050-029 Porto
Contact information: phone number
00351 222060400
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
dmah@cm-porto.pt
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Received correspondence
Title (official language of the state)
Próprias
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Câmara Municipal do Porto
Date(s)
1453/1940
Language(s)
por
Extent
413 books
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Próprias series is composed of correspondence received by the municipality of Porto during its history. It includes royal letters, public notices and circulars sent by the central administration, legislation, by-laws, plans, etc. The oldest book of this series is the "Livro antigo de cartas e provisões dos senhores reis D. Afonso V, D. João II e D. Manuel I" (Old book of letters and provisions by Kings Afonso V, João II and Manuel I), which comprises original royal letters from 1463 to 1491. This book is unnumbered (it is catalogued in the "Próprios" series as "Livro 0", i.e., book 0), and it is a separate volume in the structure of the registry of the municipality of Porto. Some of its records are related to the process of expulsion of the Jews in the late-15th century. One year before the decree of expulsion, King Manuel I gave orders to the city council of Porto to protect the Jews of Porto, who were at risk of being victims of attacks in the sequence of some social disruption provoked by the death of the former King João II (fol. 87: October 27, 1595). This record reveals the growing tension between the Christian majority and the Jewish minority at the end of the 15th century. On July 24, 1496, the king decided that two Jewish merchants, Master Marcos and Jacob Dourado, should be forbidden from contracting royal rents without a special warrant (fol. 85). Some months after, King Manuel I decreed the expulsion of the Jews. On December 5, 1496, he commanded the councillors and other authorities to safeguard the Jews leaving the kingdom against any aggression or mistreatment (fol. 66). Weeks after, on December 31, the judges of Porto received a new order from the king to ensure that Jews and Muslims could not leave Portugal without a royal licence (fol. 74).
Archival history
The Próprias series is part of the Câmara Municipal do Porto (municipality of Porto) fonds, the original fonds of the Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto, which preserves documentation produced by the municipality of Porto from the Middle Ages until the present times.
Administrative / Biographical history
The origin of Porto's municipal administration dates back to the 13th century when the city was under the authority of the bishop. The oldest document preserved in the municipality of Porto fonds is a letter from 1286 sent by King Dinis to the prosecutor of the city council with a copy of the city charter (1123) attached.
In the mid-14th century, the municipal administrative structure already included "vereadores" (councilmen), judges and prosecutors. Such structure became more and more complex throughout the following centuries. Also, the activity and functions of the city council were progressively regulated.
From 1369 to 1834, the municipality of Porto's jurisdiction comprised the so-called "Termo do Porto", which included the territory currently corresponding to the municipalities of Matosinhos, Vila Nova de Gaia, Maia, Gondomar, Paredes, Penafiel, and Santo Tirso. After 1834 and throughout the Liberal regime, the city council's jurisdiction, structure, and responsibilities were reformed. The position of "Juiz de fora" was replaced by the president of the municipality. Also, the number of councilmen increased from 4 to 9, and the city services' organisation became more sophisticated.
After the implementation of the Republic in Portugal (1910), the city council suffered constant changes. After the coup d’état of 28 May 1926, the city council was dissolved and replaced by an administrative committee composed of military staff. Following the new Administrative Code of 1936-1940, the municipal administration's leadership was formed by the president nominated by the government and 12 elected councilmen. After the Revolution of 1974 and the Republic's new Constitution in 1976, the municipal administration was reorganised. The Assembleia Municipal (Municipal Assembly) and Câmara Municipal (City Council) became the municipality's representative bodies, both elected by universal suffrage.
In 1980, the Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto was founded and began to host all the documentation produced by the municipality of Porto and various private archives and fonds.
In the mid-14th century, the municipal administrative structure already included "vereadores" (councilmen), judges and prosecutors. Such structure became more and more complex throughout the following centuries. Also, the activity and functions of the city council were progressively regulated.
From 1369 to 1834, the municipality of Porto's jurisdiction comprised the so-called "Termo do Porto", which included the territory currently corresponding to the municipalities of Matosinhos, Vila Nova de Gaia, Maia, Gondomar, Paredes, Penafiel, and Santo Tirso. After 1834 and throughout the Liberal regime, the city council's jurisdiction, structure, and responsibilities were reformed. The position of "Juiz de fora" was replaced by the president of the municipality. Also, the number of councilmen increased from 4 to 9, and the city services' organisation became more sophisticated.
After the implementation of the Republic in Portugal (1910), the city council suffered constant changes. After the coup d’état of 28 May 1926, the city council was dissolved and replaced by an administrative committee composed of military staff. Following the new Administrative Code of 1936-1940, the municipal administration's leadership was formed by the president nominated by the government and 12 elected councilmen. After the Revolution of 1974 and the Republic's new Constitution in 1976, the municipal administration was reorganised. The Assembleia Municipal (Municipal Assembly) and Câmara Municipal (City Council) became the municipality's representative bodies, both elected by universal suffrage.
In 1980, the Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto was founded and began to host all the documentation produced by the municipality of Porto and various private archives and fonds.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Finding aids
The Câmara Municipal do Porto fonds includes some manuscript indexes of this series:
A-PUB/6300: a 19th-century manuscript index of the "Livro antigo de cartas e provisões"
A-PUB/6620: another 19th-century manuscript index of the "Livro antigo" and the books 1 to 14 of the Próprias series
"Índice das Próprias" series: index of the "Próprias" books and other series of the Câmara Municipal do Porto fonds.
"Índice das Próprias" series: index of the "Próprias" books and other series of the Câmara Municipal do Porto fonds.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto | Collections (official language of the state) |