Manuscritos Avulsos
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
National Library of Portugal
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Campo Grande 83, 1749-081 Lisbon
Contact information: phone number
00351 217982000
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
bn@bnportugal.gov.pt
Reference number
MS
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Sundry Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Manuscritos Avulsos
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal
Date note
10th century/20th century
Language(s)
heb
por
Extent
256 boxes
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Manuscritos Avulsos collection of the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (National Library of Portugal) comprises diverse manuscripts of different types, subjects, and provenances. Among this miscellany of documentation, there are some records related to the Medieval Jewish communities in Portugal, the New Christian group and the Sephardic diaspora. Some examples are the following:
MSS. 256, no. 43: Mezuzah. Parchment with 17x14 cm.
MSS. 245, no. 48: "Explicação de uma membrana, que os judeus chamam Mezuza", a 19th-century manuscript with a brief explanation on the Mezuzah. Digital copy available.
MSS. 6967: document mentioning Mestre António, the chief physician of King João II, who was a Jew converted to Christianity.
MSS. 16, no. 50: "Parecer em favor da gente de Nação Hebrea" (Opinion in favour of the Jewish people) by António Vieira. Other Vieira's manuscripts can be found in MSS. 56 and MSS. 201, n.º 163.
Mss. 206, no. 1: decree dating from 1584 with instructions on how to deal with the unpaid debts left by the New Christians who fled from Portugal between the 1580s and the 1590s.
MSS. 11, no. 3: an 18th-century copy of a supposed Bandarra's prophecy.
MSS. 256, no. 43: Mezuzah. Parchment with 17x14 cm.
MSS. 245, no. 48: "Explicação de uma membrana, que os judeus chamam Mezuza", a 19th-century manuscript with a brief explanation on the Mezuzah. Digital copy available.
MSS. 6967: document mentioning Mestre António, the chief physician of King João II, who was a Jew converted to Christianity.
MSS. 16, no. 50: "Parecer em favor da gente de Nação Hebrea" (Opinion in favour of the Jewish people) by António Vieira. Other Vieira's manuscripts can be found in MSS. 56 and MSS. 201, n.º 163.
Mss. 206, no. 1: decree dating from 1584 with instructions on how to deal with the unpaid debts left by the New Christians who fled from Portugal between the 1580s and the 1590s.
MSS. 11, no. 3: an 18th-century copy of a supposed Bandarra's prophecy.
Archival history
The Colecção de Códices and the Manuscritos Avulsos derive from the original fonds of the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal: the Real Mesa Censória (Royal Censorial Court) library, which comprised the libraries of the extinct Jesuit colleges and houses. Later, the collection was enriched with other institutional fonds, such as the Academia Real da História (Royal Academy of History) or the Ordem dos Clérigos Regulares da Divina Providência (Congregation of Clerics Regular of the Divine Providence), as well as private libraries, for instance, the libraries of Fr. Manuel do Cenáculo Vilas Boas, D. Tomás Caetano de Bem, António Ribeiro dos Santos, or D. Francisco de Melo Manuel, that were donated to or acquired by the Biblioteca Nacional. In 1841, parts of the libraries of the convents that were extinct in 1834 were also integrated into the Biblioteca Nacional and became the most significant constituent element of its old fonds.
Administrative / Biographical history
The royal charter of February 29, 1796, founded the Real Biblioteca Pública da Corte (Royal Public Library of the Court), which integrated the collection of the Library of the Real Mesa Censória (Royal Board of Censorship). Its facilities were located in the Torreão Ocidental of the Praça do Comércio.
From 1805 onwards, following the first law of legal deposit, the Real Biblioteca began to receive copies of all works printed in Portugal. After the Liberal Revolution and the extinction of the religious orders (1834), it was renamed Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa (National Library of Lisbon) and incorporated whole or parts of libraries of several monasteries and convents. As the collection grew, the Convent of S. Francisco in Chiado became the new home of the National Library. Following the proclamation of the Republic in Portugal (1910), the National Library also came to incorporate libraries of religious congregations then extinct. Again, the growing collection and the need to provide it with appropriate conservation conditions forced a new change of facilities. From 1958 to 1969, a new building was under construction in Campo Grande, according to a project of the architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro. This building still remains the headquarters of the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal.
In the 1980s, the Library's computerisation process began, which resulted in the National Bibliographic Database – PORBASE. At the beginning of the 21st century, the National Library created the Biblioteca Nacional Digital (BND), which provides digital copies of several items in its collections. The BND is in constant growth, in articulation with other European institutions.
From 1805 onwards, following the first law of legal deposit, the Real Biblioteca began to receive copies of all works printed in Portugal. After the Liberal Revolution and the extinction of the religious orders (1834), it was renamed Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa (National Library of Lisbon) and incorporated whole or parts of libraries of several monasteries and convents. As the collection grew, the Convent of S. Francisco in Chiado became the new home of the National Library. Following the proclamation of the Republic in Portugal (1910), the National Library also came to incorporate libraries of religious congregations then extinct. Again, the growing collection and the need to provide it with appropriate conservation conditions forced a new change of facilities. From 1958 to 1969, a new building was under construction in Campo Grande, according to a project of the architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro. This building still remains the headquarters of the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal.
In the 1980s, the Library's computerisation process began, which resulted in the National Bibliographic Database – PORBASE. At the beginning of the 21st century, the National Library created the Biblioteca Nacional Digital (BND), which provides digital copies of several items in its collections. The BND is in constant growth, in articulation with other European institutions.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Finding aids
In the Rare Book and Manuscript Reading Room (3rd floor), there is a catalogue in files with descriptions of the manuscript documents of this collection, arranged by authors, titles and subjects. There is also a typing catalogue with documents' descriptions from the reference MSS. 250, no. 25.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Linked resources
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| כתיב (Ktiv) | Existence and location of originals |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
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| Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal | Collections (official language of the state) |