Cabido da Sé de Coimbra

Item

Country

PT

Name of institution (English)

University of Coimbra Archive

Name of institution (official language of the state)

Language of name of institution

por

Contact information: postal address

Rua de S. Pedro 2, 3000-370 Coimbra

Contact information: phone number

00351 239 859 855

Contact information: web address

Contact information: email

auc-geral@auc.uc.pt

Reference number

PT/AUC/DIO/CSCBR

Type of reference number

Archival reference number

Title (English)

Cathedral Chapter of Coimbra

Title (official language of the state)

Cabido da Sé de Coimbra

Language of title

por

Creator / accumulator

Cabido da Sé de Coimbra

Date(s)

1227/1879

Language(s)

lat
por

Extent

46 boxes, 1941 books, 24 bundles, 19 folders and 25 reels

Type of material

Textual Material

Physical condition

Satisfactory

Scope and content

The Cabido da Sé de Coimbra fonds includes documents related to or produced by the Cathedral Chapter of Coimbra, including records on its liturgical activity and estate administration, by-laws, ledgers, inventories of properties, copies of royal letters, etc. It also contains a collection of parchments (465 documents) with sentences, deeds, emphyteusis and sale contracts, papal documents, etc.
Here are some examples of documents where one can find references to the Jewish community of Coimbra and other localities under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Coimbra.
AUC- III-1.ªD-5-4-10, AUC- III-1.ªD-5-4-11, AUC- III-1.ªD-5-4-12, AUC- III-1.ªD-5-4-13 and AUC- III-1.ªD-5-4-14: "Cópia de documentos latinos" (Copies of Latin documents), a collection of Medieval records in Latin, which may contain references to the "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) and the Jewish community of Coimbra.
III-1.ªD-3-4-16 and III-1.ªD-3-4-17: Eighteenth-century copy of the "Livro Preto", the cartulary of the Cathedral of Coimbra, which contains mentions of the early settlement of Jews living in the area of the diocese of Coimbra. For instance, a deed of sale (doc. 492) of a parcel of land on June 15, 1099, refers to the locality of Enxofães (at present, in the municipality of Cantanhede) as being a "village of Jews" ("villa de Suffenes, qui est de illos hebreos"). In another document (no. 576) from June 16, 1145, in which the Council of Coimbra, with the support of King Afonso Henriques, updated the customary law regarding the city of Coimbra, Jews are mentioned as being involved in tanning and shoemaking activities.

Archival history

In September 1863, most of the Cathedral Chapter of Coimbra's collection was transferred to the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo. This transference followed the decree of October 2, 1862, which determined that the National Archives should incorporate all the documentation of Portuguese institutions dated before 1834, as well as the collections of extinct churches and religious organisations. Another part of the Cathedral Chapter's archive was incorporated in the Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra's collection between 1917 and 1921.
We would like to thank Ana Maria Leitão Bandeira for the information regarding the incorporation of this fonds in the Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra.

Administrative / Biographical history

The Cabido da Sé (Cathedral Chapter) of Coimbra was a corporation or community of ecclesiastics who advised the bishop on the governance of the diocese. Its foundation is traditionally dated from 1086, but it is possible that the Cathedral Chapter already existed before. Its constitution was driven by Bishop D. Paterno, who assumed the bishopric of Coimbra in 1080.
The bull "Apostolicae sedis" on March 23, 1102, bestowed the administration of the dioceses of Viseu and Lamego on the Cathedral of Coimbra. The Bishop of Coimbra remained to head both dioceses until 1147.
Originally, the Cathedral Chapter of Coimbra was led by a "prepositus" or a prior, and canons lived in a community following the rule of St. Augustine. The Chapter was then composed of about ten canons. During the 12th century, the canons tended to leave the community life, and their number increased. At the beginning of the 12th century, they were already 30.
The Chapter also refined its hierarchisation over the 12th and 13th centuries. It became headed by a dean. Other dignities were the cantor, the "mestre-escola" (schoolmaster), the chief treasurer, and four archdeacons. A "cónego magistral" (master canon) was a doctor of Theology, and a "cónego doutoral" (doctor canon) had, at least, a degree in Canon Law. Another four canons also had the responsibility of teaching in the Seminary of Coimbra.
The diocese of Coimbra's income and estates were divided into two "mesas" (boards): two-thirds to the "Mitra Episcopal" (Episcopal board) and the one-third to the "Mesa Capitular" (Cathedral Chapter board). Therefore, the Chapter administered an extensive patrimony composed of donations by the Crown, the bishop and private donors. A prebendary managed the Chapter's estates and distributed their incomes among the Chapter's members.
In 1455, vicar general Afonso Vicente compiled the documents related to the responsibilities and rights of each class of ecclesiastics of the Cathedral of Coimbra and gave rise to the first statutes of the Chapter. Bishop D. João Soares granted new regulations in 1571, which remained until the 18th century with only a few updates. In 1741, the Chapter received new statutes by the initiative of Bishop D. Miguel da Anunciação.

Access points: locations

Access points: corporate bodies

Access points: subject terms

Access points: document types

System of arrangement

The fonds is organised into series, most of them with records chronologically arranged.

Finding aids

Links to finding aids

Existence and location of originals

Author of the description

Carla Vieira, 2021

Published primary sources

Item sets

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Title Alternate label Class
Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra Collections (official language of the state)