Administração
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Lisbon City Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Rua B, Bairro da Liberdade 3-6, 1070-017 Lisbon
Contact information: phone number
00351 218177200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
arquivomunicipal@cm-lisboa.pt
Reference number
PT/AMLSB/CMLSBAH/ADM
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Administration
Title (official language of the state)
Administração
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Câmara Municipal de Lisboa
Date(s)
1357/1899
Language(s)
por
Extent
1482 books, 18 boxes, 30 bundles
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Administração series comprises a vast set of documents related to the patrimonial and financial management of the Municipality of Lisbon. Regarding the patrimonial management, the collection includes records related to "tombos" (inventories) of municipal properties, Navy possessions, losses during the Earthquake of 1755, administration of properties, and "emprazamentos" and "aforamentos" (emphyteusis contracts). The collection also comprises records related to the financial management of the Municipality of Lisbon, namely revenue and expenditure records of municipal institutions, loans, interests, expenditure records relating to public works, etc.
Among these records, there are a few references to the Jewish community of Lisbon. For instance, the First Book of "Emprazamentos" (PT/AMLSB/CMLSBAH/ADM/029/01) includes references to houses and plots leased by the Municipality of Lisbon to Jews. The Second Book of Deeds of "Aforamentos" (PT/AMLSB/CMLSBAH/ADM/002/0287) also refers to leases granted to Jews living in Lisbon, such as Eleázar Latam, a merchant, in 1461 (fol. 94v), or Abraão Romeiro in 1492 (fol. 62).
Among these records, there are a few references to the Jewish community of Lisbon. For instance, the First Book of "Emprazamentos" (PT/AMLSB/CMLSBAH/ADM/029/01) includes references to houses and plots leased by the Municipality of Lisbon to Jews. The Second Book of Deeds of "Aforamentos" (PT/AMLSB/CMLSBAH/ADM/002/0287) also refers to leases granted to Jews living in Lisbon, such as Eleázar Latam, a merchant, in 1461 (fol. 94v), or Abraão Romeiro in 1492 (fol. 62).
Archival history
The Administração series is part of the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa fonds, which comprises records related to the activity of the Municipality of Lisbon from its creation in the late 12th century to the present. Since its origin, the Municipality of Lisbon has cared about the need to preserve its documentation. However, due to precarious management and poor organisation, many records were lost over the centuries.
The municipal registry was originally located in a building belonging to Martim de Bulhões (Saint Anthony's father) near the Cathedral, later known as Casa de Santo António (Saint Anthony's House), where it remained until the 16th century. In the 16th century, the archive followed the city council's constant change of facilities in the sequence of plagues. Between 1640 and 1647, it returned to the Cathedral's vicinity.
Since the 16th century, the documentation has been divided into codices, organised by theme or provenance. Between the late 17th century and the early 18th century, these codices were copied with the aim of preserving the originals.
In 1741, following the reunification of the Council Senate (which had been divided into Occidental and Oriental Senate), the archive moved to a building in Rossio, near the Royal Hospital of Todos-os-Santos, where the Occidental Senate had been headquartered. Later, it was transferred to another house next to the Inquisition Palace. During the Great Earthquake of 1755, most of the archive's collection was saved by an official of the Council Senate Secretary, Leandro da Costa Carvalho, and it was provisionally stored in a wooden shack in Campo de Santana (then in Lisbon's outskirts). Between 1757 and 1764, the Palácio dos Condes de Almada hosted the archive. After further location changes, the archive moved to the new building of the Paços do Concelho (Council Chambers) in 1774, where it stayed until being relocated again in 1780, together with the Council, to Casa da Índia and the Inquisition Palace. The archive ended up returning to the Paços do Concelho at the end of the 18th century. When a fire destroyed the building in 1863, the archive room was the only one that remained intact.
During the 19th century, the Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa collections were classified according to thematic and chronological criteria, indices were produced, and the codices were bound.
In the 1930s, the archive was divided: the historical archive remained in the Paços do Concelho, and the administrative archive (created in 1919) moved into the Arco do Cego neighbourhood. When a fire destroyed the Paços do Concelho again in November of 1996, the historical archive was transferred to a building adjacent to the archive in Alto da Eira. In 2004, its facilities were again changed to the Campolide neighbourhood.
Sources:
The municipal registry was originally located in a building belonging to Martim de Bulhões (Saint Anthony's father) near the Cathedral, later known as Casa de Santo António (Saint Anthony's House), where it remained until the 16th century. In the 16th century, the archive followed the city council's constant change of facilities in the sequence of plagues. Between 1640 and 1647, it returned to the Cathedral's vicinity.
Since the 16th century, the documentation has been divided into codices, organised by theme or provenance. Between the late 17th century and the early 18th century, these codices were copied with the aim of preserving the originals.
In 1741, following the reunification of the Council Senate (which had been divided into Occidental and Oriental Senate), the archive moved to a building in Rossio, near the Royal Hospital of Todos-os-Santos, where the Occidental Senate had been headquartered. Later, it was transferred to another house next to the Inquisition Palace. During the Great Earthquake of 1755, most of the archive's collection was saved by an official of the Council Senate Secretary, Leandro da Costa Carvalho, and it was provisionally stored in a wooden shack in Campo de Santana (then in Lisbon's outskirts). Between 1757 and 1764, the Palácio dos Condes de Almada hosted the archive. After further location changes, the archive moved to the new building of the Paços do Concelho (Council Chambers) in 1774, where it stayed until being relocated again in 1780, together with the Council, to Casa da Índia and the Inquisition Palace. The archive ended up returning to the Paços do Concelho at the end of the 18th century. When a fire destroyed the building in 1863, the archive room was the only one that remained intact.
During the 19th century, the Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa collections were classified according to thematic and chronological criteria, indices were produced, and the codices were bound.
In the 1930s, the archive was divided: the historical archive remained in the Paços do Concelho, and the administrative archive (created in 1919) moved into the Arco do Cego neighbourhood. When a fire destroyed the Paços do Concelho again in November of 1996, the historical archive was transferred to a building adjacent to the archive in Alto da Eira. In 2004, its facilities were again changed to the Campolide neighbourhood.
Sources:
Administrative / Biographical history
The origins of the Municipality of Lisbon date back to 1179 when King Afonso I granted the "foral" (city charter) to Lisbon. Besides the territorial organisation, the "foral" also regulated the municipal administration. Then, the Concelho (Council) obtained well-delineated competencies and a defined legal framework. The Medieval administrative body was constituted by a "procurador do Concelho" (proctor), "alvazis" (judicial magistrates) and other magistrates with secondary functions, all of them under the dependence of the King. The "alcaide-mor" (chief provincial governor), who represented the Crown locally, was responsible for controlling and managing the "alvazis" and other municipal officers. The "homens bons", the most notable citizens, were also called to give their opinion on subjects relevant to the city's government. The place where this local elite met began to be called the Paço do Concelho (Council Chambers).
In 1221, the Cortes (national assembly, drawn from the nobility, the clergy, and the commoners, whose task was to advise the king on legislation) of Coimbra defined a specific legal framework to the municipality of Lisbon. During the reign of King Afonso III (1248-1279), the number of municipal officers with tax collection responsibilities increased, the "procurador do concelho" started to be elected by the "homens bons" and became their representative before the Crown and other institutions. At the time of King Afonso IV (kingship: 1325-1357), the offices of "juiz de fora" and "vereador" were created. The "juiz de fora" was a royal magistrate responsible for supervising and uniformising law enforcement in all Portuguese territory. The "vereadores" were other magistrates who replaced the functions previously exercised by the "alvazis". During the reign of King Fernando I (1367-1383), the "corregedor" became the principal city authority. With King João I (kingship: 1385-1433), the "vereação" (city council) was enlarged with four "procuradores dos mesteres" (guilds proctors), which contributed to the development and centralisation of the municipal economic management. This centralisation effort increased during the reign of King João II (1481-1495). In the early 16th century, after the Ordenações Manuelinas (King Manuel I Ordinances), the "vereadores" of Lisbon gained more autonomy and became free of hierarchical subjection to the Crown.
The first reference to the "Presidente da Câmara" (President of the City Council, the Mayor) position dates back to a royal letter of December 12, 1572, when King Sebastião I appointed a president and three "vereadores", which allowed a balance between legal functions and management competencies. However, the judicial dimension of the city council continued to prevail, so much so that, between 1609 and 1820, the city council was designated as "Tribunal do Senado" (Senate Court). The denomination of "Câmara Municipal de Lisboa" only dates back to the Liberal Revolution of 1820.
During the Iberian Union (1580-1640), centralisation was reinforced. The Crown directly appointed the leading positions of the municipal administration. In 1671, the Senate was reorganised, with the appointment of five "vereadores", two "desembargadores" (judges) and three noblemen appointed by the King who would exercise the presidency. King Pedro II (kingship: 1683-1706) also divided the Senate into two institutions with their own organisational structure: the Oriental Senate and the Occidental Senate. This division lasted until 1741, when the Senate was reunified and restructured. The leading municipal body combined one president, six "vereadores", one notary, two "procuradores da cidade" and four "procuradores dos mesteres". King José I kept this structure but added a Junta da Fazenda (Finance Board) to control the economic-financial activity of the municipality. Liberal constitutionalism after the Revolution of 1820 implemented the elective system in the Portuguese municipalities. Then, in December of 1822, the first council of a constitutional nature took office with one procurador and nine vereadores. After a forward and backward movement until 1834 and the end of the Liberal Wars, several administrative reforms were undertaken over the 19th century toward a progressive autonomy and elective character of the municipal power.
The implementation of the Republic in Portugal in 1910 brought new changes. In 1913, it was implemented the distinction between the Senado Municipal (Municipal Senate), a deliberative body elected by universal suffrage, and the Comissão Executiva (Executive Committee), an executive body elected by the Senado and composed of a president and eight "vereadores". After the coup d'état of May 28, 1926 that initiated the dictatorship period in Portugal, which would last until 1974, the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa was dissolved and replaced by an administrative committee appointed by the government. The elective system only returned after the Carnation Revolution in 1974. The Câmara Municipal became the executive body, and the Assembleia Municipal (Municipal Assembly) became the deliberative body of the municipality. This structure has remained until the present.
In 1221, the Cortes (national assembly, drawn from the nobility, the clergy, and the commoners, whose task was to advise the king on legislation) of Coimbra defined a specific legal framework to the municipality of Lisbon. During the reign of King Afonso III (1248-1279), the number of municipal officers with tax collection responsibilities increased, the "procurador do concelho" started to be elected by the "homens bons" and became their representative before the Crown and other institutions. At the time of King Afonso IV (kingship: 1325-1357), the offices of "juiz de fora" and "vereador" were created. The "juiz de fora" was a royal magistrate responsible for supervising and uniformising law enforcement in all Portuguese territory. The "vereadores" were other magistrates who replaced the functions previously exercised by the "alvazis". During the reign of King Fernando I (1367-1383), the "corregedor" became the principal city authority. With King João I (kingship: 1385-1433), the "vereação" (city council) was enlarged with four "procuradores dos mesteres" (guilds proctors), which contributed to the development and centralisation of the municipal economic management. This centralisation effort increased during the reign of King João II (1481-1495). In the early 16th century, after the Ordenações Manuelinas (King Manuel I Ordinances), the "vereadores" of Lisbon gained more autonomy and became free of hierarchical subjection to the Crown.
The first reference to the "Presidente da Câmara" (President of the City Council, the Mayor) position dates back to a royal letter of December 12, 1572, when King Sebastião I appointed a president and three "vereadores", which allowed a balance between legal functions and management competencies. However, the judicial dimension of the city council continued to prevail, so much so that, between 1609 and 1820, the city council was designated as "Tribunal do Senado" (Senate Court). The denomination of "Câmara Municipal de Lisboa" only dates back to the Liberal Revolution of 1820.
During the Iberian Union (1580-1640), centralisation was reinforced. The Crown directly appointed the leading positions of the municipal administration. In 1671, the Senate was reorganised, with the appointment of five "vereadores", two "desembargadores" (judges) and three noblemen appointed by the King who would exercise the presidency. King Pedro II (kingship: 1683-1706) also divided the Senate into two institutions with their own organisational structure: the Oriental Senate and the Occidental Senate. This division lasted until 1741, when the Senate was reunified and restructured. The leading municipal body combined one president, six "vereadores", one notary, two "procuradores da cidade" and four "procuradores dos mesteres". King José I kept this structure but added a Junta da Fazenda (Finance Board) to control the economic-financial activity of the municipality. Liberal constitutionalism after the Revolution of 1820 implemented the elective system in the Portuguese municipalities. Then, in December of 1822, the first council of a constitutional nature took office with one procurador and nine vereadores. After a forward and backward movement until 1834 and the end of the Liberal Wars, several administrative reforms were undertaken over the 19th century toward a progressive autonomy and elective character of the municipal power.
The implementation of the Republic in Portugal in 1910 brought new changes. In 1913, it was implemented the distinction between the Senado Municipal (Municipal Senate), a deliberative body elected by universal suffrage, and the Comissão Executiva (Executive Committee), an executive body elected by the Senado and composed of a president and eight "vereadores". After the coup d'état of May 28, 1926 that initiated the dictatorship period in Portugal, which would last until 1974, the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa was dissolved and replaced by an administrative committee appointed by the government. The elective system only returned after the Carnation Revolution in 1974. The Câmara Municipal became the executive body, and the Assembleia Municipal (Municipal Assembly) became the deliberative body of the municipality. This structure has remained until the present.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The collection has an organic and functional organisation. Records are arranged chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Most of the documents are available for consultation in microfilm and/or digital format. The originals are only accessible to readers if there is no microfilmed or digital copy and its state of conservation is good.
Finding aids
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Mariana Lourenço dos Reis, 2021
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa | Collections (official language of the state) |