Colecção Especial
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/CESP
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Special Collection
Title (official language of the state)
Colecção Especial
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Arquivo da Casa da Coroa / Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo
Date(s)
1154/1831
Language(s)
por
lat
Extent
73 boxes
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Colecção Especial comprises records of various kinds related to or produced by Portuguese monasteries and convents abolished after 1834. The collection includes pontifical records (such as bulls, briefs, apostolic sentences, etc.), royal documents, correspondence and other records from ecclesiastical hierarchies and miscellaneous items dating back to the 10th century. It contains some scattered information on the Jewish communities before the late-15th century expulsion. It is the case of the following two documents related to Jews living in Setúbal:
Caixa (box) 32, no. 7 (PT/TT/CESP/32/07): Appeal by Mousem Namorado, a Jewish resident of Setúbal, regarding a feud with Acenço Anes, from the same village. Namorado told that, in 1399 or 1400 (1437 or 1438 in the era of Caesar), he had 35 jars of honey loaded on Lourenço Casado's boat ready to depart for Malaga, when Ascenço Anes arrived at the ship and took three and a half pots by force, saying they were the tithe due to the Order of Santiago. Namorado appealed to Anes to return the lost honey to him or pay him at least 1000 pounds for each jar taken by force. The judge initially agreed with Mousem Namorado, but Ascenço Anes appealed again. It was confirmed that the payment was due, so Namorado was obliged to pay what he owed and compensate Anes for the costs. A digital copy of this document is available online in the archive's database (https://digitarq.arquivos.pt/details?id=6411762)
Caixa 32, no. 23 (former Caixa 36): King João II, as the perpetual administrator of the Order of Santiago, confirmed a sale deed presented by Brafame Bom Dia, a "mouro forro" (a freed Moor) from Setúbal, dating July 7, 1477, regarding the sale of a house in Setúbal for 7900 reais. The house had been seized to João Rodrigues, a miller, as guarantor of Abraão Benança, a Jew who owed 15,000 reais (currency) of rents to Gonçalo Vaz de Melo. Moisés Maçadia, the gatekeeper of the Jewish "comuna" (commune) of Setúbal, was one of the individuals who launched an auction to acquire the house.
Caixa (box) 32, no. 7 (PT/TT/CESP/32/07): Appeal by Mousem Namorado, a Jewish resident of Setúbal, regarding a feud with Acenço Anes, from the same village. Namorado told that, in 1399 or 1400 (1437 or 1438 in the era of Caesar), he had 35 jars of honey loaded on Lourenço Casado's boat ready to depart for Malaga, when Ascenço Anes arrived at the ship and took three and a half pots by force, saying they were the tithe due to the Order of Santiago. Namorado appealed to Anes to return the lost honey to him or pay him at least 1000 pounds for each jar taken by force. The judge initially agreed with Mousem Namorado, but Ascenço Anes appealed again. It was confirmed that the payment was due, so Namorado was obliged to pay what he owed and compensate Anes for the costs. A digital copy of this document is available online in the archive's database (https://digitarq.arquivos.pt/details?id=6411762)
Caixa 32, no. 23 (former Caixa 36): King João II, as the perpetual administrator of the Order of Santiago, confirmed a sale deed presented by Brafame Bom Dia, a "mouro forro" (a freed Moor) from Setúbal, dating July 7, 1477, regarding the sale of a house in Setúbal for 7900 reais. The house had been seized to João Rodrigues, a miller, as guarantor of Abraão Benança, a Jew who owed 15,000 reais (currency) of rents to Gonçalo Vaz de Melo. Moisés Maçadia, the gatekeeper of the Jewish "comuna" (commune) of Setúbal, was one of the individuals who launched an auction to acquire the house.
Archival history
After the extinction of the religious orders in 1834 by the Liberal government, the records of the monasteries and convents were incorporated in the Direcção-Geral dos Próprios Nacionais (General Directorate of National Assets). Around 1836, some books and codices from monasteries and convents of the districts of Lisbon, Santarém and Leiria were sent to the Torre do Tombo. Some of the records considered of particular importance were incorporated into a collection named "Colecção Especial" (Special Collection), even though they came from different institutions.
The Colecção Especial was organised into three series, one for papal documents (boxes 1 to 27), other for documents from the king, bishop and other important entities (boxes 28 to 77), and the last one for private documents from the 10th to the 17th century (boxes 78 to 186). Within the series, the organisation was chronological. The documents were stored in a total of 186 numbered boxes. This organisation was most likely made by the “official-maior” (senior officer) of the Torre do Tombo, José Manuel Severo Aureliano Basto.
Other documents were incorporated into this collection later on.
Between 1938 and 1990, this collection was reevaluated and their records were gradually incorporated in other fonds in an effort to mimic the original fonds. The effort started when Ruy de Azevedo, then preparing a publication about Medieval records, found that it was necessary to reorganise the documents from the 10th to 13th centuries, comprised into the 2nd and 3rd series of the Colecção Especial. The recognition of the provenance of the documents was often made by the numbers and identifiers written in the documents when they were part of the registry of their monasteries. The reorganisation continued in 1946 on boxes 28 to 31 (royal documents) and 77 to 130. In 1967, boxes 131 to 186 were also rearranged by Maria José Mexia Bigotte Chorão. The documents were chronologically ordered and organised in bundles with 40 documents each.
In 1951 and 1961, it was noted that some documents were missing.
The Colecção Especial was organised into three series, one for papal documents (boxes 1 to 27), other for documents from the king, bishop and other important entities (boxes 28 to 77), and the last one for private documents from the 10th to the 17th century (boxes 78 to 186). Within the series, the organisation was chronological. The documents were stored in a total of 186 numbered boxes. This organisation was most likely made by the “official-maior” (senior officer) of the Torre do Tombo, José Manuel Severo Aureliano Basto.
Other documents were incorporated into this collection later on.
Between 1938 and 1990, this collection was reevaluated and their records were gradually incorporated in other fonds in an effort to mimic the original fonds. The effort started when Ruy de Azevedo, then preparing a publication about Medieval records, found that it was necessary to reorganise the documents from the 10th to 13th centuries, comprised into the 2nd and 3rd series of the Colecção Especial. The recognition of the provenance of the documents was often made by the numbers and identifiers written in the documents when they were part of the registry of their monasteries. The reorganisation continued in 1946 on boxes 28 to 31 (royal documents) and 77 to 130. In 1967, boxes 131 to 186 were also rearranged by Maria José Mexia Bigotte Chorão. The documents were chronologically ordered and organised in bundles with 40 documents each.
In 1951 and 1961, it was noted that some documents were missing.
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: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are arranged chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Some documents are available online. The originals of these documents are not available for consultation. To have access to some records, a permission is needed and only during a restricted time.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in Torre do Tombo:
"Colecção Especial: catálogo das bulas das caixas 1 a 3, 4 a 6, 7 a 10, 14 e 15". Catalogue of papal bulls in boxes 1-3, 4-11, 14 and 15. (C 25 1-4).
"Colecção Especial: catálogo de 111 documentos da caixa 16". 1959. Catalogue of 111 documents from box 16. (C 25 5).
"Colecção Especial: catálogo dos breves e de uma bula da caixa 17". Description of 216 documents, containing a chronological index of popes and number of briefs given by each one as well as their datation. (C 25 6).
"Suplemento da Colecção Especial: relações sumárias das bulas, cx. 1-15, breves, cx.16-22, de sentenças apostólicas, cx. 23-24, sentenças executoriais, cx. 25-26, "Miscelânea eclesiástica", cx. 27, diplomas emanados do poder real, cx. 28-72, de príncipes, infantes, duques de Bragança, rainhas, cardeais, arcebispos, bispos, de patriarcas (...), e relações de unidades de instalação respeitantes a instituições eclesiásticas regulares e seculares". Summary inventory of boxes 1-72 and finding aids related to collections of ecclesiastic institutions (L 207).
"Inventário das Corporações Religiosas, desintegrado da antiga Colecção Especial, em 24 de Julho de 1978" (Inventory of Religious Organisation extracted from the former Colecção Especial on July 24, 1978). (L 208).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Inês de Sá and Teresa Oliveira, 2021
Linked resources
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