Colegiada de São João de Almedina 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/CSJAC
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Collegiate of São João de Almedina of Coimbra
Title (official language of the state)
Colegiada de São João de Almedina de Coimbra
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Colegiada de São João de Almedina de Coimbra
Date(s)
1147/1714
Language(s)
por
lat
Extent
6 bundles
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Colegiada de São João de Almedina fonds comprises documentation related to and produced by the Collegiate and Church of São João de Almedina in Coimbra. It includes "aforamentos" and "emprazamentos" (emphyteusis contracts), sale deeds, donations, confirmations, sentences, wills, contracts, etc. It covers a large territory, mainly in the surroundings of the city of Coimbra. Throughout the documentation gathered in the eight "maços" (bundles) that compose this fonds, there are some scattered records concerning the Jewish community of Coimbra. For instance, bundle 2 contains a letter of possession from July 26, 1412, regarding a house in the surroundings of the Old Jewish quarter of Coimbra, the so-called "Judiaria da Pedreira", with references to some Jews living in the vicinities. (maço 2, doc. 29). A digital copy of this document is available on the Torre do Tombo online database.
Archival history
In 1848, following the law of June 16 and the instruction of September 17, the assets and incomes of all collegiates in Portugal were applied to the maintenance of seminaries. Another law on December 27, 1849, determined that the documents of the collegiates should be stored in the registry of the seminary that received their assets and incomes. The archive, assets and incomes of the Collegiate of São João de Almedina were transferred to the seminary of Coimbra.
In 1862, following another government order, the documents of the collegiates dated prior to 1600 were incorporated into the National Archive of Torre do Tombo. Therefore, the records of the Collegiate of São João de Almedina gathered in the seminary of Coimbra were transferred to the Torre to Tombo in the following year. Some of these records, as well as others from extinct religious institutions, were included in the so-called "Colecção Especial" (Special Collection). 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 where the respective church was originally located was replaced by an arrangement by diocese.
Some years before, in 1977, the Colegiada de São João de Almedina fonds had been enriched with a manuscript bought in the auction of Arnaldo Henriques de Miranda. Another part of the Colegiada de São João de Almedina de Coimbra fonds (26 books and 4 boxes) is part of the collection of the Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra.
In 1862, following another government order, the documents of the collegiates dated prior to 1600 were incorporated into the National Archive of Torre do Tombo. Therefore, the records of the Collegiate of São João de Almedina gathered in the seminary of Coimbra were transferred to the Torre to Tombo in the following year. Some of these records, as well as others from extinct religious institutions, were included in the so-called "Colecção Especial" (Special Collection). 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 where the respective church was originally located was replaced by an arrangement by diocese.
Some years before, in 1977, the Colegiada de São João de Almedina fonds had been enriched with a manuscript bought in the auction of Arnaldo Henriques de Miranda. Another part of the Colegiada de São João de Almedina de Coimbra fonds (26 books and 4 boxes) is part of the collection of the Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra.
Administrative / Biographical history
Collegiates were communities of clerics and laymen with the purpose of ensuring the religious cult in churches. The collegiates were headed by a prior and composed of a number of "raçoeiros" (literally, who received a ration) or "beneficiados" (beneficiaries), who were generally clerics.
The Collegiate of São João de Almedina was under the patronage of the Bishop of Coimbra. Like other collegiates, it was headed by a prior, who was responsible for nominating the "raçoeiros". The latter undertook liturgical functions, such as taking part in the choir and praying for the worshippers who had left donations to the collegiate, among others. Additionally, they also held the responsibility of managing the properties and incomes of the church. The "prioste" had the function of managing the assets of the collegiate and distributing their incomes.
The Collegiate was based in the Church of São João de Almedina, which was built in the 12th century. The church suffered several alterations in the late 17th century, which changed its pre-Romanesque style.
In 1848, most collegiates were extinguished by the Liberal government, especially those that were not able to subsist on their income only, since their main source of revenue, the "dízimo" (tithe), was abolished in 1834. That was the case of the Collegiate of São João de Almedina.
Between 1922 and 1938, the Church of São João de Almedina underwent a new campaign of reconstruction in order to convert it into a museum. These works exposed the oldest part of the church, which became part of the National Museum Machado de Castro.
The Collegiate of São João de Almedina was under the patronage of the Bishop of Coimbra. Like other collegiates, it was headed by a prior, who was responsible for nominating the "raçoeiros". The latter undertook liturgical functions, such as taking part in the choir and praying for the worshippers who had left donations to the collegiate, among others. Additionally, they also held the responsibility of managing the properties and incomes of the church. The "prioste" had the function of managing the assets of the collegiate and distributing their incomes.
The Collegiate was based in the Church of São João de Almedina, which was built in the 12th century. The church suffered several alterations in the late 17th century, which changed its pre-Romanesque style.
In 1848, most collegiates were extinguished by the Liberal government, especially those that were not able to subsist on their income only, since their main source of revenue, the "dízimo" (tithe), was abolished in 1834. That was the case of the Collegiate of São João de Almedina.
Between 1922 and 1938, the Church of São João de Almedina underwent a new campaign of reconstruction in order to convert it into a museum. These works exposed the oldest part of the church, which became part of the National Museum Machado de Castro.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Organised in 6 bundles, with approximately 40 documents each, numbered sequentially.
Access, restrictions
No restrictions, except for records in poor condition or available in digital format.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in 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).
"Inventário dos pergaminhos e códices pertencentes às Colegiadas de São Bartolomeu, de São Cristóvão, de São Tiago, de São João de Almedina, de Santa Justa, de São Pedro, do Salvador, todas de Coimbra, recolhidos no Seminário Episcopal desta cidade que, em virtude do Decreto de 2 de Outubro de 1862 e Portaria de 9 de Julho de 1863, foram transferidos para o Arquivo da Torre do Tombo, em 15 de Setembro de 1863" (Inventory of parchments and codices belonging to the collegiates of São Bartolomeu, São Cristóvão, São Tiago, São João de Almedina, Santa Justa, São Pedro, and Salvador, all in Coimbra, collected by the seminary of this city, that were transferred to the Arquivo da Torre do Tombo on September 15, 1863). (L 288).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Inês de Sá, 2021
Linked resources
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