Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra
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/MSCC
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Monastery of Santa Cruz of Coimbra
Title (official language of the state)
Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra
Date(s)
1117/1834
Language(s)
por
Extent
165 books, 44 folders and circa 299 bundles
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
This fonds contains donations, wills, emphyteusis contracts, city charters, privileges, letters, permits, sentences, papal bulls and many other types of documents related to the Monastery of Santa Cruz of Coimbra, one of the most powerful Medieval monasteries in Portugal. In this collection, it is possible to find some of the oldest documentary pieces of evidence of the Jewish community of Coimbra, dating back to the 12th century. A few examples are the following:
PT/TT/MSCC/L100 (previously Colecção Costa Basto, n.º 2): the “Livro Santo” (Holy Book), the first cartulary of the Monastery of Santa Cruz of Coimbra, whose composition began in 1155. It contains some references to Jews living in Coimbra in the 12th century. For instance, a record dated from February 1140 reports the exchange of two vineyards in the outskirts of Coimbra between a Jew named Zacarias and the Monastery of Santa Cruz (doc. 164). Other two documents record similar agreements between two Jewish couples (Belide and his wife Jamila, Ismael and his wife Jamila) and the Monastery, both in December 1137 (docs. 166 and 167). A digital copy of the “Livro Santo” is available on the Torre do Tombo online database. Its transcription was published in 1990 by Leotina Ventura and Ana Santiago Faria.
PT/TT/MSCC/L101: the "Livro de D. João Teotónio", a book produced by D. João Teotónio, the second Prior of the Monastery of Santa Cruz, comprises 441 documents from 1128 to 1207, including some records with references to Jewish landlords and tenants in rural areas surrounding the city of Coimbra, in particular vineyards (fols. 45-45v, 90, 91v, 102). These documents were published by Saul Gomes (2003).
PT/TT/MSCC/A/1DP13/25: donation of a winepress in Monte Rubeo, in the outskirts of Coimbra, made by a Jew named Zalema to the Monastery of Coimbra. 1193.
PT/TT/MSCC/A/1M013 (1.ª incorp., maço 13): sale of an olive grove made by two Jews on behalf of the Jewish "comuna" (commune) of Coimbra to Princess D. Sancha, daughter of King Sancho I. The deed was testified by several Jewish witnesses. June 1224.
PT/TT/MSCC/L040 to PT/TT/MSCC/L048: the nine volumes of
the “Livros de Escrituras Antigas” comprise deeds and other property records since the early 14th century, in which it is possible to find scattered references to Jews involved in the transaction of estates and houses. For instance, "aforamentos" (emphyteusis contracts) of houses in the Jewish quarter of Coimbra made by Samuel Boino to the Monastery in 1428 (PT/TT/MSCC/L040, fols. 30v-31v), and by Isaac Timyme to a blacksmith named Santo de Crasto in 1444 (PT/TT/MSCC/L047, doc. 79). See other examples in Gomes (2013), pp. 25-31.
PT/TT/MSCC/A/2M057 (2.ª incorp., maço 57), doc. 12: King Manuel I confirms a sale of stones and land of the former Jewish cemetery made on July 8, 1497; hence, shortly after the decree of expulsion of the Jews from Portugal (December 5, 1496). January 19, 1503. This document was published by Saul Gomes (2003)
PT/TT/MSCC/L100 (previously Colecção Costa Basto, n.º 2): the “Livro Santo” (Holy Book), the first cartulary of the Monastery of Santa Cruz of Coimbra, whose composition began in 1155. It contains some references to Jews living in Coimbra in the 12th century. For instance, a record dated from February 1140 reports the exchange of two vineyards in the outskirts of Coimbra between a Jew named Zacarias and the Monastery of Santa Cruz (doc. 164). Other two documents record similar agreements between two Jewish couples (Belide and his wife Jamila, Ismael and his wife Jamila) and the Monastery, both in December 1137 (docs. 166 and 167). A digital copy of the “Livro Santo” is available on the Torre do Tombo online database. Its transcription was published in 1990 by Leotina Ventura and Ana Santiago Faria.
PT/TT/MSCC/L101: the "Livro de D. João Teotónio", a book produced by D. João Teotónio, the second Prior of the Monastery of Santa Cruz, comprises 441 documents from 1128 to 1207, including some records with references to Jewish landlords and tenants in rural areas surrounding the city of Coimbra, in particular vineyards (fols. 45-45v, 90, 91v, 102). These documents were published by Saul Gomes (2003).
PT/TT/MSCC/A/1DP13/25: donation of a winepress in Monte Rubeo, in the outskirts of Coimbra, made by a Jew named Zalema to the Monastery of Coimbra. 1193.
PT/TT/MSCC/A/1M013 (1.ª incorp., maço 13): sale of an olive grove made by two Jews on behalf of the Jewish "comuna" (commune) of Coimbra to Princess D. Sancha, daughter of King Sancho I. The deed was testified by several Jewish witnesses. June 1224.
PT/TT/MSCC/L040 to PT/TT/MSCC/L048: the nine volumes of
the “Livros de Escrituras Antigas” comprise deeds and other property records since the early 14th century, in which it is possible to find scattered references to Jews involved in the transaction of estates and houses. For instance, "aforamentos" (emphyteusis contracts) of houses in the Jewish quarter of Coimbra made by Samuel Boino to the Monastery in 1428 (PT/TT/MSCC/L040, fols. 30v-31v), and by Isaac Timyme to a blacksmith named Santo de Crasto in 1444 (PT/TT/MSCC/L047, doc. 79). See other examples in Gomes (2013), pp. 25-31.
PT/TT/MSCC/A/2M057 (2.ª incorp., maço 57), doc. 12: King Manuel I confirms a sale of stones and land of the former Jewish cemetery made on July 8, 1497; hence, shortly after the decree of expulsion of the Jews from Portugal (December 5, 1496). January 19, 1503. This document was published by Saul Gomes (2003)
Archival history
The documentation of the Monastery of Santa Cruz was subject to several losses and displacements over its history. For instance, in 1449, a violent storm damaged the registry of the Monastery. In order to prevent more losses, King D. Manuel I requested a reform of the registry on November 29, 1517. Then, the deeds were copied and gathered in new books, the “Livros de Tombo das Escrituras de Santa Cruz”. Centuries later, in 1743, King D. João V ordered another copying campaign of the Monastery's records and their organisation by subject. The result was the series “Livros Novos das Cópias” (New Books of Copies).
The records of the Monastery of Santa Cruz started to enter the Torre do Tombo in the 1860s. Some codices that were stored in the Governo Civil (Civil Government) of Porto were transferred to the archive by José Manuel da Costa Basto on an uncertain date between 1860 and 1864. Among them, there were the codices “Forais Antigos no. 3”, “Livro Santo”, “Livro de D. João Teotónio” and “Livro de Noa”, which were later incorporated in the Colecção Costa Basto and numbered 1, 2, 3 and 43.
At the beginning of the 20th century, most of the Santa Cruz documentation was under the custody of the Inspecção das Bibliotecas e Arquivos (Inspection of Libraries and Archives). Between May and September 1912, this documentation was transferred to the Torre do Tombo. Other documentation stored in different public and private institutions also ended up being sent to the National Archive. It was the case of 214 documents — including 54 books of notes and 48 books of "prazos" (emphyteusis contracts) — that were in the Inspecção Distrital de Finanças de Coimbra (District Inspectorate of Finances of Coimbra).
Some of the Monastery records that entered the Torre do Tombo collection were included in the so-called "Colecção Especial" (Special Collection), a collection that gathered documents from several ecclesiastic institutions. Between 1938 and 1990, the documents of this collection were gradually reorganised with the aim of recreating the original fonds. The documents were chronologically ordered and gathered into bundles of 40 documents each, which were numbered sequentially. At the end of the 1990s, the organisation by locality was discarded, and the records were aggregated according to their original religious institution, order or diocese.
In 1990, following a work developed under the orientation of Maria José Mexia Bigote Chorão, some documents from Santa Cruz that were deposited in the collection Documentação de conventos por identificar (Documentation of convents to be identified) were finally identified and included in the Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra fonds.
The fonds is still in progress. More documents have been included after acquisitions made by the Torre do Tombo in 2017 and 2020.
The records of the Monastery of Santa Cruz started to enter the Torre do Tombo in the 1860s. Some codices that were stored in the Governo Civil (Civil Government) of Porto were transferred to the archive by José Manuel da Costa Basto on an uncertain date between 1860 and 1864. Among them, there were the codices “Forais Antigos no. 3”, “Livro Santo”, “Livro de D. João Teotónio” and “Livro de Noa”, which were later incorporated in the Colecção Costa Basto and numbered 1, 2, 3 and 43.
At the beginning of the 20th century, most of the Santa Cruz documentation was under the custody of the Inspecção das Bibliotecas e Arquivos (Inspection of Libraries and Archives). Between May and September 1912, this documentation was transferred to the Torre do Tombo. Other documentation stored in different public and private institutions also ended up being sent to the National Archive. It was the case of 214 documents — including 54 books of notes and 48 books of "prazos" (emphyteusis contracts) — that were in the Inspecção Distrital de Finanças de Coimbra (District Inspectorate of Finances of Coimbra).
Some of the Monastery records that entered the Torre do Tombo collection were included in the so-called "Colecção Especial" (Special Collection), a collection that gathered documents from several ecclesiastic institutions. Between 1938 and 1990, the documents of this collection were gradually reorganised with the aim of recreating the original fonds. The documents were chronologically ordered and gathered into bundles of 40 documents each, which were numbered sequentially. At the end of the 1990s, the organisation by locality was discarded, and the records were aggregated according to their original religious institution, order or diocese.
In 1990, following a work developed under the orientation of Maria José Mexia Bigote Chorão, some documents from Santa Cruz that were deposited in the collection Documentação de conventos por identificar (Documentation of convents to be identified) were finally identified and included in the Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra fonds.
The fonds is still in progress. More documents have been included after acquisitions made by the Torre do Tombo in 2017 and 2020.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Monastery of Santa Cruz of Coimbra was founded in 1131, almost at the same time that King Afonso Henriques transferred the centre of the Portuguese court from Guimarães to Coimbra. Consequently, Santa Cruz of Coimbra, which followed the rule of Saint Augustine, also became the spiritual centre of the newly established kingdom of Portugal. The scriptorium of Santa Cruz dates back to the early times of the Monastery. The establishment of a library was essential so that the canons could meet their liturgical and preaching obligations. Until the mid-12th century, Santa Cruz, the Cathedral of Coimbra and the Monastery of Lorvão were the only book production centres in Portugal. However, after the end of the century, the copyist activity in Santa Cruz entered a downward phase due to the growing influence of the newly created Monastery of Alcobaça.
In the mid-12 century, precisely between 1148 and 1150, the Hospital of São Nicolau, the monastery’s hospital, was created. There, medical assistance was provided by the canons, as well as accommodation for pilgrims and poor and sick people. In the 16th century, the Monastery underwent a great change when, in 1556, the Order of Saint Augustine became a congregation and all Augustinian monasteries were gathered under the same jurisdiction. In 1630, the congregation had 20 monasteries. However, in 1834, when religious orders were extinguished in Portugal, only four monasteries of the Order of Saint Augustine remained: the Monastery of Mafra, São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Serra do Pilar in Porto, and the Monastery of Santa Cruz.
In the mid-12 century, precisely between 1148 and 1150, the Hospital of São Nicolau, the monastery’s hospital, was created. There, medical assistance was provided by the canons, as well as accommodation for pilgrims and poor and sick people. In the 16th century, the Monastery underwent a great change when, in 1556, the Order of Saint Augustine became a congregation and all Augustinian monasteries were gathered under the same jurisdiction. In 1630, the congregation had 20 monasteries. However, in 1834, when religious orders were extinguished in Portugal, only four monasteries of the Order of Saint Augustine remained: the Monastery of Mafra, São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Serra do Pilar in Porto, and the Monastery of Santa Cruz.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
This fonds is organised in a section of documents (Documentos relativos ao exercício da jurisdição e à administração do mosteiro [documents related to the jurisdiction and administration of the patrimony of the monastery]) and numerous separate books and bundles. The section comprises two incorporations of documents. The first incorporation includes 25 bundles: 1 for ecclesiastical records, 21 for private documents and 3 for royal documents. The second incorporation is still missing descriptions and a clear arrangement.
Access, restrictions
Some documents are available online. The originals of those documents are not available for consultation. To have access to some records, permission is needed and only during a restricted time.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in the Torre do Tombo:
"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), fol. 2v.
"Inventário (catálogo) dos maços 1, 2, 3 de Documentos reais do Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra (1117 a 1279)" (Catalogue of the bundles 1, 2 and 3 of Royal Documents of the Monastery of Santa Cruz (1117 to 1279)". 1958. (C 314 A).
"Inventário (catálogo) dos maços de Documentos particulares do Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra (1117 a 1390)" (Catalogue of the bundles of Particular Documents of the Monastery of Santa Cruz (1117 to 1390)). (C 314 A/1-A/7).
"Relação de documentos do cartório de Santa Cruz de Coimbra"(Inventory of documents of the registry of Santa Cruz of Coimbra). (L 291).
"Relação dos livros que José Manuel da Costa Basto trouxe do cartório do Governo Civil do Porto (pertencentes ao Mosteiro de Leça, ao Mosteiro de Paço de Sousa, ao Mosteiro de Grijó, ao Convento de São Francisco do Porto, ao Mosteiro de São Simão da Junqueira), do cartório do Governo Civil de Coimbra (pertencentes ao Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra), do cartório do Governo Civil de Viana (pertencentes ao Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Refóios de Lima), da Biblioteca Pública do Porto (pertencentes ao Mosteiro de Paço de Sousa, ao Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra), dos arquivos das Sés de Coimbra, e Viseu, dos Mosteiros de Lorvão e de Arouca, do arquivo da Colegiada de Guimarães". Inventory of the books brought by José Manuel da Costa Basto to the Torre to Tombo. (C 284).
Published finding aids:
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo | Collections (official language of the state) |