Mosteiro de Chelas
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
The National Archive of Torre do Tombo
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Alameda da Universidade, 1649-010 Lisbon
Contact information: phone number
00351 210037100
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
mail@dglab.gov.pt
Reference number
PT/TT/MCH
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Monastery of Chelas
Title (official language of the state)
Mosteiro de Chelas
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Mosteiro de Chelas
Date(s)
1183/1604
Language(s)
lat
por
Extent
7 books and 91 bundles
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Mosteiro de Chelas fonds comprises documentation produced by this monastery in Lisbon since the 12th century. It includes privileges, royal letters, sentences, records of the monastery estates, assets and administration, property records such as sale deeds and emphyteusis contracts, donations, wills, certificates, etc. Due to the rich collection of Medieval records, this fonds contains substantial documentary evidence on the Jewish community of Lisbon. The following are some examples:
Maço (bundle) 8, no. 142: first known will related to the Judiaria (Jewish quarter) of Alfama, dated from 1175.
Maço 7, no. 142: deed of sale of houses in the parish of Santa Maria Madalena, in Lisbon, with references to the settlement of Jews in the surrounding area. According to Manuel Fialho Silva (2019), it is the first direct reference to the Judiaria Grande (Great Jewish quarter). The record was published by Gérard Pradalié (1975).
Maço 27, no. 536: sale of a house in the Jewish quarter of Lisbon made by Isac Galego to Gil Reinel, both Jews, on August 1, 1308.
Maço 23, no. 459: partition of estates in the Jewish quarter of Lisbon belonging to late Mestre Reinel between his children, Gil, Miguel and Benta Reinel, on October 18, 1309. Reinel's children had been converted to Christianity and Benta Reinel became a nun of the Monastery of Chelas. Other documentation regarding the Reinel family can be found in this fonds, namely: maço 23, no. 450; maço 27, no. 536; maço 28, no. 555; maço 33, no. 655; maço 41, no. 815. See Silva (2013).
Maço 24, no. 474: dispute regarding properties in the Judiaria Grande of Lisbon in 1319.
The fonds contains several other records regarding negotiations involving Jews of Lisbon in the 14th and 15th centuries, such as maço 77, no. 1531 (in 1381); maço 50, no. 990 (1401); maço 40, no 874 (1469). A list of these and other records from this fonds related to transactions between the Monastery of Chelas and Jewish residents in Lisbon can be found in Ferreira (2019).
Maço (bundle) 8, no. 142: first known will related to the Judiaria (Jewish quarter) of Alfama, dated from 1175.
Maço 7, no. 142: deed of sale of houses in the parish of Santa Maria Madalena, in Lisbon, with references to the settlement of Jews in the surrounding area. According to Manuel Fialho Silva (2019), it is the first direct reference to the Judiaria Grande (Great Jewish quarter). The record was published by Gérard Pradalié (1975).
Maço 27, no. 536: sale of a house in the Jewish quarter of Lisbon made by Isac Galego to Gil Reinel, both Jews, on August 1, 1308.
Maço 23, no. 459: partition of estates in the Jewish quarter of Lisbon belonging to late Mestre Reinel between his children, Gil, Miguel and Benta Reinel, on October 18, 1309. Reinel's children had been converted to Christianity and Benta Reinel became a nun of the Monastery of Chelas. Other documentation regarding the Reinel family can be found in this fonds, namely: maço 23, no. 450; maço 27, no. 536; maço 28, no. 555; maço 33, no. 655; maço 41, no. 815. See Silva (2013).
Maço 24, no. 474: dispute regarding properties in the Judiaria Grande of Lisbon in 1319.
The fonds contains several other records regarding negotiations involving Jews of Lisbon in the 14th and 15th centuries, such as maço 77, no. 1531 (in 1381); maço 50, no. 990 (1401); maço 40, no 874 (1469). A list of these and other records from this fonds related to transactions between the Monastery of Chelas and Jewish residents in Lisbon can be found in Ferreira (2019).
Archival history
In 1863, an order of the government and of the Patriarch Cardinal demanded the transference of the records of the registries of female monasteries in Lisbon and surroundings before 1600 to the Archive of Torre do Tombo. Two years later, most of the documents from the Monastery of Chelas were incorporated in the Torre do Tombo collection.
In 1878, the Repartição da Fazenda do Distrito de Lisboa (Office of Estate of Lisbon District) requested the production of an inventory of the assets, incomes, documents and other belongings of the Monastery of Chelas. After the completion of the inventory, the records that remained in the monastery were sent to the Repartição da Fazenda do Concelho dos Olivais (Office of Estate of the Municipality of Olivais). In the first half of the 20th century, these records were under the custody of the Secção de Finanças de Loures (Finance Department of Loures). In 1938, they were moved to Torre do Tombo. The current description of the documents follows the existing catalogues of this fonds, as well as the summary contained on the verse of the records.
In 1878, the Repartição da Fazenda do Distrito de Lisboa (Office of Estate of Lisbon District) requested the production of an inventory of the assets, incomes, documents and other belongings of the Monastery of Chelas. After the completion of the inventory, the records that remained in the monastery were sent to the Repartição da Fazenda do Concelho dos Olivais (Office of Estate of the Municipality of Olivais). In the first half of the 20th century, these records were under the custody of the Secção de Finanças de Loures (Finance Department of Loures). In 1938, they were moved to Torre do Tombo. The current description of the documents follows the existing catalogues of this fonds, as well as the summary contained on the verse of the records.
Administrative / Biographical history
The origins of this monastery are uncertain. It is known that it is older than the kingdom of Portugal. It was presumably a monastery or an hermitage built in the 7th century, in which the relics of Saint Felix were kept. It is believed that, in the 9th century, when the king of Léon, Afonso III, took Lisbon, he deposited the relics of Saint Adrian and Saint Natalia in the building. When the Muslims reclaimed the city, the structure was damaged. Archaeological evidence points that, around the 10th century, a church was reconstructed by the Mozarabs. After the conquest of Lisbon by the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, the monastery was reconstructed and started its activity.
The Monastery of Chelas was occupied by nuns of the order of Canons Regular of Saint Augustin and it is presumably the first female monastery of the order in Portugal. The first prioress was D. Justa Rebaldes, sister of D. João Peculiar, archbishop of Braga. The convent was known as Convento de São Félix e São Adrião de Chelas. However, in the 13th century, the monastery seemed to be occupied by nuns of the Order of Preachers, as a few documents mention donations to nuns of this order. Nevertheless, the nuns of Saint Augustin seem to have gained control shortly after, and the bishop of Lisbon gained jurisdiction over the monastery.
In the early 15th century, the monastery was decaying, therefore construction works had to be carried out. In the next century, it was enlarged. By the mid-16th century, 48 nuns, 12 novices and 25 servants lived there. Another significant reconstruction was undertaken in the 17th century. The monastery was seriously damaged by the Great Earthquake of 1755, especially the church. Consequently, reconstruction works were carried out once again.
In 1834, monasteries and convents were extinct in Portugal by the liberal regime. However, the female monasteries were allowed to remain open until the death of the last nun, which happened in Chelas in 1878. The assets of the monastery were transferred to the National Assets. In the following decades, the building served as a factory of gunpowder and later as the headquarter of the Arquivo Histórico Militar (Historic Militar Archive).
The Monastery of Chelas was occupied by nuns of the order of Canons Regular of Saint Augustin and it is presumably the first female monastery of the order in Portugal. The first prioress was D. Justa Rebaldes, sister of D. João Peculiar, archbishop of Braga. The convent was known as Convento de São Félix e São Adrião de Chelas. However, in the 13th century, the monastery seemed to be occupied by nuns of the Order of Preachers, as a few documents mention donations to nuns of this order. Nevertheless, the nuns of Saint Augustin seem to have gained control shortly after, and the bishop of Lisbon gained jurisdiction over the monastery.
In the early 15th century, the monastery was decaying, therefore construction works had to be carried out. In the next century, it was enlarged. By the mid-16th century, 48 nuns, 12 novices and 25 servants lived there. Another significant reconstruction was undertaken in the 17th century. The monastery was seriously damaged by the Great Earthquake of 1755, especially the church. Consequently, reconstruction works were carried out once again.
In 1834, monasteries and convents were extinct in Portugal by the liberal regime. However, the female monasteries were allowed to remain open until the death of the last nun, which happened in Chelas in 1878. The assets of the monastery were transferred to the National Assets. In the following decades, the building served as a factory of gunpowder and later as the headquarter of the Arquivo Histórico Militar (Historic Militar Archive).
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are organized into 7 books and 91 bundles. Each storage unit has its specific numerical order.
Access, restrictions
No restrictions, except for records in poor condition or available in digital format.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in the archive:
"Catálogo dos documentos do Mosteiro de Chelas relativos a Sintra, Cascais, e seus termos" (Catalogue of documents from the Monastery of Chelas related to Sintra, Cascais and outskirts). 1978 (C 1071).
"Inventário dos documentos pertencentes ao Convento de Chelas que em virtude do Decreto de 2 de Outubro de 1862 e das Portarias do Ministério do Reino de 9 de Julho e 18 de Dezembro de 1863, se recolheram no Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, em 2 de Agosto de 1865" (Inventory of documents belonging to the Convent of Chelas that, after the decree on October 2, 1862, and the ordonnances of the Ministry of the Kingdom on July 9 and December 18, 1863, were collected in the National Archive of Torre do Tombo on August 2, 1865), vols. 1-8. (C 305-C 312).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Inês de Sá, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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