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Country
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PT
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Name of institution (English)
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Porto Municipal Historical Archive
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Language of name of institution
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por
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Contact information: postal address
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Rua da Alfândega 10, 4050-029 Porto
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Contact information: phone number
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00351 222060400
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Contact information: email
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dmah@cm-porto.pt
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Reference number
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Cofre dos Bens do Concelho
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Type of reference number
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Archival reference number
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Title (English)
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City Council Assets Safe
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Title (official language of the state)
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Cofre dos Bens do Concelho
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Language of title
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por
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Creator / accumulator
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Câmara Municipal do Porto
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Date(s)
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1450/1828
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Language(s)
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por
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Extent
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25 books
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Type of material
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Textual Material
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Physical condition
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Satisfactory
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Scope and content
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The Cofre dos Bens do Concelho series comprises records on regular incomes (such as rents, fines, taxes, etc.) and general expenses (for instance, wages, fees, pensions, public works, etc.) of the municipality of Porto. The first two books of this series contain records from the 15th century, where it is possible to find some pieces of evidence on the Jewish community of Porto, including mentions of "aforamentos" (emphyteusis contracts) of lands and houses in the "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) both to Jews and Christians. Some records also reveal how the Jewish community tended to expand its area of residence outside the original "judiaria" of Olival. The increasing number of references to "aforamentos" to Jews after 1482-83 demonstrates the demographic evolution of the community in the last quarter of the 15th century. These books also contain references to the location of the Jewish cemetery in the so-called "Monte dos Judeus" (Mount of the Jews) in Miragaia (then in Porto's outskirts).
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Archival history
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The Cofre dos Bens do Concelho 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.
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Administrative / Biographical history
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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.
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System of arrangement
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Records are arranged chronologically.
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Author of the description
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Carla Vieira e Rui Queirós de Faria, 2021
