Leitura Nova
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
http://antt.dglab.gov.pt/contactos/
https://digitarq.arquivos.pt/
Contact information: email
mail@dglab.gov.pt
Reference number
PT/TT/LN
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
New Copy Books
Title (official language of the state)
Leitura Nova
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Arquivo da Casa da Coroa / Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo
Date(s)
1504/1552
Language(s)
lat
por
spa
Extent
61 books
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Leitura Nova collection comprises early-16th-century copies of documents from the Royal Archive. It includes letters of donation, privileges, royal rights, enquires, records of the Fazenda Real (Royal Estate), forals, contracts, sentences, papal bulls, records of military orders, documents concerning patronages, “morgados” (entails), royal chantries, etc. Some copies are not very truthful to the original and others are incomplete. The records are organised by "comarca" (district): books of Além Douro, Beira, Odiana, Estremadura, "Místicos" (mixed) and "Ilhas" (islands); and subject: books of "Reis" (Kings), "Direitos Reais" (royal estate and incomes), "Forais Velhos" (old forals), "Forais Novos" (new forals), "Inquirições" (inquiries), "Mestrados" (military orders records), "Padroados" (patronages), "Legitimações" (legitimations), "Doações de D. João III" (donations by King D. João III), "Privilégios de D. João III" (privileges by king D. João III), and "Demarcações e Tratados de Paz com Castela" (demarcations and peace treaties with Castille). This collection contains numerous records with important information regarding Jewish communities and "judiarias" (Jewish quarters) in Medieval Portugal. Maria José Pimenta Ferro Tavares, in her works on the Jewish presence in 14th and 15th century Portugal (1982 and 2000), identified most of Leitura Nova's records containing references to Jews and Jewish quarters. Reading these books might be a good starting point to research the Leitura Nova collection.
The records of the Leitura Nova are indexed together with the original Chancellery records in the indexes of the Chancelaria Régia, available in the reference room of the Torre do Tombo (digital copies of some of them are also available online in the archive database). These indexes are arranged alphabetically by names of individuals (“próprios”), and collective entities ("comuns"), including localities and religious institutions.
The records of the Leitura Nova are indexed together with the original Chancellery records in the indexes of the Chancelaria Régia, available in the reference room of the Torre do Tombo (digital copies of some of them are also available online in the archive database). These indexes are arranged alphabetically by names of individuals (“próprios”), and collective entities ("comuns"), including localities and religious institutions.
Archival history
At the beginning of the 16th century, King Manuel I ordered the production of copies of the most important documents of the Royal Archive, as many were damaged and difficult to read. The king gave clear instructions on how the task should be carried out. The documents should be organised in books, labelled by geographical region or by subject. Each book should have three indexes: one for individuals, another for towns and cities, and another for religious institutions. As these books were stored in the Royal Archive, the history of this collection is linked to the history of the archive, nowadays the National Archive of Torre do Tombo. The collection occupied cabinets 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10 of the Casa da Coroa (House of the Crown) in a tower of the Castle of São Jorge, in Lisbon. As a consequence of the Great Earthquake of 1755, the archive was transferred to a provisional woodshed and later to the Monastery of São Bento, in Lisbon. The building was home to the archive until the end of the 20th century, when it was moved to the current facilities in the Cidade Universitária (Lisbon University Campus).
Administrative / Biographical history
The Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo is one of Portugal's oldest institutions. Its origins go back at least to the 14th century. The royal documents used to follow the itinerant medieval court, with only the most important documents being held at different monasteries. Once the court established itself in Lisbon, so did the royal archives. The first documental reference to a set location is from 1378. The archive was kept in one of the towers of São Jorge Castle, hence its name Torre do Tombo (Tower of the Archive). The "guarda-mor" (high-guardian) was responsible for its safekeeping.
Until 1755, the Torre do Tombo functioned as the Crown's archive, serving the king's administration and granting certificates to institutions and individuals. The oldest record reporting its organisation and content is from 1526: a letter from Tomé Lopes to King João III that mentions 149 books of Chancellery records and 47 of the so-called Leitura Nova (a compilation of copies of old documents ordered by King Manuel I).
In the 16th century, with the growing centralisation and the greater strength and complexity of the State, Torre do Tombo became a real State archive. Monarchs took notice of the archive, as they understood the importance of the relation between information and power. Some documents from other areas of the central administration were incorporated into the archive. Torre do Tombo became a reference, even serving as an example to Philip II of Spain when regulating the Archive of Simancas.
The first indexes of the archive were created during the 17th and 18th centuries, as the interest in these documents increased and their reorganisation was ongoing. A 1702 index, most likely created by João Duarte Lisboa, responsible for the archive’s reformation, reveals that, in 1656, the archive was arranged in 15 “armários” (cabinets). Twenty years later, the archive had five more “armários”.
In 1755, the tower of the castle was destroyed in the Great Earthquake. The documents were then temporarily saved in a woodshed and, two years later, partly transferred to the monastery of São Bento da Saúde in Lisbon. The papers were then reorganised, and several copies were made. The new organisation did not follow the old methods; instead, it followed the logic of the enlightened 18th century, favouring a methodical and chronological order. The confusion between sections, series, collections, and fonds is noticeable, and the archive's organic structure was unclear, which certainly illustrated how the Crown's institutions were arranged and functioned. Many documents were lost in this new reorganisation and, even with the information given by the indexes, the original structure is still somewhat unclear.
The 18th century also brought a new way of looking at history and a new value to these documents. That explains the incorporation of the Society of Jesus' records in 1768, following the expulsion of the Jesuits from Portugal. It was one of the first examples of the incorporation in the Crown's archives of documents produced by other institutions. After the Liberal Revolution, these incorporations became customary, collecting records of old courts and religious corporations. In 1823, the royal archive changed its name to Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (National Archive of Torre do Tombo), making it clear that it was not only an archive of the Crown but of the whole nation. However, there was no active will or ability to enable its access and to explore its documents, as the focus was only on their compilation.
The beginning of the 20th century and the establishment of the Republic in 1911 did not bring many new developments, as well as the dictatorship (1926-1974). In the 1950s, an effort was made by the director, João Martins da Silva Marques, to reorganise the documentation, leading to the creation of the Núcleo Antigo (Old Core) collection. Throughout the 20th century, many collections and documents were added to the archive, coming from different public and private institutions.
In 1990, the archives moved to a new building made specifically for that purpose, where they are still located today. In more recent years, part of the fonds and collections were rearranged to match the original organisation. For instance, the Núcleo Antigo was disassembled, creating new fonds and collections, and incorporating other documents into already existing ones.
Until 1755, the Torre do Tombo functioned as the Crown's archive, serving the king's administration and granting certificates to institutions and individuals. The oldest record reporting its organisation and content is from 1526: a letter from Tomé Lopes to King João III that mentions 149 books of Chancellery records and 47 of the so-called Leitura Nova (a compilation of copies of old documents ordered by King Manuel I).
In the 16th century, with the growing centralisation and the greater strength and complexity of the State, Torre do Tombo became a real State archive. Monarchs took notice of the archive, as they understood the importance of the relation between information and power. Some documents from other areas of the central administration were incorporated into the archive. Torre do Tombo became a reference, even serving as an example to Philip II of Spain when regulating the Archive of Simancas.
The first indexes of the archive were created during the 17th and 18th centuries, as the interest in these documents increased and their reorganisation was ongoing. A 1702 index, most likely created by João Duarte Lisboa, responsible for the archive’s reformation, reveals that, in 1656, the archive was arranged in 15 “armários” (cabinets). Twenty years later, the archive had five more “armários”.
In 1755, the tower of the castle was destroyed in the Great Earthquake. The documents were then temporarily saved in a woodshed and, two years later, partly transferred to the monastery of São Bento da Saúde in Lisbon. The papers were then reorganised, and several copies were made. The new organisation did not follow the old methods; instead, it followed the logic of the enlightened 18th century, favouring a methodical and chronological order. The confusion between sections, series, collections, and fonds is noticeable, and the archive's organic structure was unclear, which certainly illustrated how the Crown's institutions were arranged and functioned. Many documents were lost in this new reorganisation and, even with the information given by the indexes, the original structure is still somewhat unclear.
The 18th century also brought a new way of looking at history and a new value to these documents. That explains the incorporation of the Society of Jesus' records in 1768, following the expulsion of the Jesuits from Portugal. It was one of the first examples of the incorporation in the Crown's archives of documents produced by other institutions. After the Liberal Revolution, these incorporations became customary, collecting records of old courts and religious corporations. In 1823, the royal archive changed its name to Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (National Archive of Torre do Tombo), making it clear that it was not only an archive of the Crown but of the whole nation. However, there was no active will or ability to enable its access and to explore its documents, as the focus was only on their compilation.
The beginning of the 20th century and the establishment of the Republic in 1911 did not bring many new developments, as well as the dictatorship (1926-1974). In the 1950s, an effort was made by the director, João Martins da Silva Marques, to reorganise the documentation, leading to the creation of the Núcleo Antigo (Old Core) collection. Throughout the 20th century, many collections and documents were added to the archive, coming from different public and private institutions.
In 1990, the archives moved to a new building made specifically for that purpose, where they are still located today. In more recent years, part of the fonds and collections were rearranged to match the original organisation. For instance, the Núcleo Antigo was disassembled, creating new fonds and collections, and incorporating other documents into already existing ones.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records keep the original numbering. They are organised by subject and geography ("comarca", districts).
Access, restrictions
Some documents have digital or microfilmed copies. In these cases, the originals are not available for consultation. Access to some records needs permission and only during a restricted time.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in the archive:
"Chancelaria régia: índices Próprios e Comuns" (Royal Chancellery: indexes by individuals and collective entities). 1760s (L. 20-206).
Coutinho, João Pereira de Azeredo. 1776. "Inventario dos livros, maços e documentos que se guardam no Real Archivo da Torre do Tombo [...] no anno de 1776" (Inventory of books, bundles and documents in the Royal Archive of the Torre to Tombo in 1776), part II (L. 299A), fols. 31-37v
"Inquirições: índice toponímico" (Inquiries: index by names). 1760s (L. 278-280).
Published finding aids:
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of originals
Author of the description
Inês de Sá, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Chancelaria Régia | Existence and location of copies |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo | Collections (official language of the state) |