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Nota de estado
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Finalizado
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Country
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PT
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Name of institution (English)
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University of Coimbra 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 de S. Pedro 2, 3000-370 Coimbra
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Contact information: phone number
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00351 239859855
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Contact information: email
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auc-geral@auc.uc.pt
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Reference number
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PT/AUC/HOS/HRC
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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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Royal Hospital of Coimbra
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Title (official language of the state)
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Hospital Real de Coimbra
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Language of title
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por
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Creator / accumulator
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Hospital Real de Coimbra
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Date(s)
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1448/1772
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Language(s)
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lat
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por
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Extent
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380 books, 12 bundles and 5 folders
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Type of material
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Textual Material
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Physical condition
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Poor
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Scope and content
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The Hospital Real de Coimbra fonds comprises regulations, letters, royal decrees and provisions relating to the foundation, privileges, and management of the Royal Hospital. It also includes records on the election of officers, salaries, admission and discharge of patients, as well as documents related to the Hospital's estates and assets (books of deeds and "emprazamentos" (emphyteusis contracts), property measurement and demarcation deeds, rent registry books, ledgers, etc). Some of these properties were located in the place of the former "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) of Coimbra and, for this reason, this collection contains records mentioning Jewish and New Christian owners or tenants. An example could be found in a record of the Tombo Velho do Hospital Real (Old Inventory of the Royal Hospital) dated from January 2, 1504, related to the "aforamento" (emphyteusis contract) of a house in the Rua Nova, where the "judiaria" of Coimbra was previously located (dep. IV, 2.º E-7, Tab. 5, N.º 1, fols. 8-8v). According to the record, the house was situated next to another house belonging to Mécia Rodrigues, a New Christian who is presented as Mestre Abraão's wife. This document was published in Gomes (2013).
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Archival history
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The Hospital Real de Coimbra fonds underwent various changes before being definitively incorporated into the Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra. Unfortunately, its constant relocation and change of custody led to a loss of documentation. By comparing the current collection with the inventory of the fonds composed in 1698, it is possible to find the loss of some volumes.
The collection was initially stored in the Hospital's registry. After the Hospital Real's extinction in 1772, a large part of the documentation was transferred to the registry of the University of Coimbra. At the end of the 18th century, the collection was relocated to the University's Treasury Office, where it received archival processing.
In 1852, the Secretary-General of the Governo Civil (Civil Government) of Coimbra authorised the collection's relocation to the Governo Civil. At that time, the documentation was disorganised.
In 1934, a part of the Hospital Real fonds, together with records from the former São Lázaro Hospital, was transferred to the University's registry. Finally, the fonds was transferred to the new building of the Arquivo Histórico da Universidade de Coimbra, inaugurated in 1948.
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(source: Bandeira, Ana Maria Leitão. 2015. “O Hospital Real de Coimbra: acervo documental de uma instituição assistencial (1504-1772).” Boletim do Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra 28: 7–75. https://doi.org/10.14195/2182-7974_28_1)
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Administrative / Biographical history
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The Hospital Real de Coimbra was founded by King Manuel in 1504. Four years later, the Hospital received its first statutes, which were renewed shortly after, in 1510. To expand its assets and assistance capacity, the Hospital incorporated the properties of some small "albergarias" (hostels) and hospitals that were extinct in 1508.
Initially, the Hospital Real received 17 patients. It had two wards, one chapter, a hostel and a kitchen, and it was managed by a "provedor" (administrative officer) and an "almoxarife" (treasurer). It was also in the Hospital Real that the practical classes of the University of Coimbra's Medicine course took place.
The Hospital was economically supported by revenues from its rural and urban properties in Coimbra, Montemor-o-Velho, Alvoco da Serra and Seia. In 1514, King Manuel also donated 1% of the "almoxarifados" of Coimbra and Aveiro's incomes to the Hospital.
The Hospital Real, then known as Hospital de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, was closed down by the Marquis of Pombal's provision of October 21, 1772. Then, the "corregedor" (chief justice) of Coimbra's district took possession of the Hospital's assets and handed them over to the University's Treasury Board.
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(source: Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra online database)
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System of arrangement
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The fonds is organised into seventeen documentary series, according to its typological character, and a collection of parchments. Records are arranged chronologically.
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Author of the description
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Mariana Lourenço dos Reis, 2021
