Colecção de Pergaminhos
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Viseu District Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Largo de Santa Cristina, 3504-515 Viseu
Contact information: phone number
00351 232003200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
mail@advis.dglab.gov.pt
Reference number
PT/ADVIS/COL/PERG
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Parchments Collection
Title (official language of the state)
Colecção de Pergaminhos
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Cabido da Sé de Viseu
Date(s)
1083/1733
Language(s)
por
lat
Extent
55 bundles (4,000 documents)
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Coleção de Pergaminhos (Parchments Collection) comprises documents of different topics and typologies, gathered because of their physical support, produced or related to the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu. Several records contain data on the Jewish communities of Viseu and surrounding areas, in particular documents of purchase, sale, and "emprazamentos" (emphyteusis contracts) of houses and land directly or indirectly involving Jews. Some of them were already digitalised and are available in the Arquivo Distrital de Viseu online database.
Here are some examples of documents of this fonds with mentions to Jews living in Viseu:
Maço (bundle) 26, no. 16: a sale deed in January 1284 mentions a Jew named Abraão, who was the owner of a house in Viseu sold to a Christian couple. This is the first known mention to Jews in Viseu.
Maço 22, no. 4: Donabrãa, a Jew from Viseu, and his wife sold a house to Martim Peres, a canon of the Cathedral Chapter, for 30 pounds on March 4, 1305.
Maço 44, no. 18: "Emprazamento" (emphyteusis contract) of a house in the "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) made by the Cathedral Chapter to Salomon Alentrez and his wife Bemvinda on August 7, 1433.
Maço 41, no. 11 (PT/ADVIS/COL/PERG/000959): Another "emprazamento" of a house in the street that goes to the synagogue to a Jewish couple, David de Pau Corvo and his wife on June 19, 1446.
Other sale and emphyteusis contracts of houses involving Jews of Viseu can be found in maço 48, no. 47 (June 16, 1420); maço 43, no. 24 (December 12, 1420); maço 35, no. 45B (January 15, 1421); maço 41, no. 32 (May 15, 1428), maço 43, no. 6 (March 16, 1429) and no. 33 (November 15, 1429); maço 44, no. 18 (August 7, 1433); maço 49, no. 12 (July 21, 1438); maço 48, no. 50 (October 20, 1438); maço 43, no. 35 (November 9, 1439); maço 15, no. 46 (January 26, 1440); maço 40, no. 31 (May 22, 1443); maço 30, no. 10 (February 9, 1446); maço 49, no. 15 (November 12, 1452); maço 39, no. 15 (March 20, 1453); maço 39, no. 6 (March 29, 1459); maço 49, no. 63 (November 13, 1460); maço 35, no. 17 (August 12, 1472); maço 32, no. 22 (December 31, 1473); maço 43, no. 46 (February 18, 1479); maço 38, no. 50 (February 28, 1480); no. 337 (March 7, 1480); maço 47, no. 29 (October 31, 1481); maço 39, no. 12 (January 7, 1484); maço 44, no. 31 (May 26, 1487); maço 9, no. 14 (September 4, 1487); maço 42, no. 3 (August 11, 1489).
Several other records also mention houses and pieces of land owned by or leased to Jews adjacent to properties sold or leased by the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu, as well as scattered references to the Jewish quarter of Viseu and its limits. For instance: maço 18, no. 72 (February 1, 1379); maço 48, no. 48 (May 7, 1406); maço 18, no. 76 (July 3, 1415); maço 36, no. 50 (January 7, 1418); maço 48, no. 36 (September 4, 1421); maço 19, no. 39 (March 8, 1425); maço 34, no. 44 (October 16, 1439); maço 34, no. 6 (April 17, 1444); maço 37, no. 4 (October 20, 1455); maço 47, no. 35 and 19 (November 5, 1461); maço 32, no. 41 (September 5, 1472); no. 44 (February 12, 1480).
A document dated November 1426 (maço 49, no. 1) also contains interesting information on the commercial activity of Jews of Viseu. It mentions a debt contracted by a Jewish merchant, Juça Molffo, and his guarantors - one of them, Juça Aboab, another Jewish merchant - to purchase a consignment of Spanish clothes. Molffo and Aboab's assets ended up being pledged to pay this debt.
This collection also includes references to Jewish residents in other localities but Viseu, such as Pinhel, Celorico da Beira or Trancoso. Here are some examples:
Maço 25, no. 67: Jacob and his wife Missol, a Jewish couple living in Pinhel, sold a vineyard in Pinhel's outskirts, near the chapel of Santiago, to a Christian merchant from Trancoso, Vasco Pais, for 380 pounds on February 18, 1365. On March 10, their son Abraham confirmed this sale.
Maço 19, no. 79: Samuel Navarro purchased a house in the judiaria of Viseu to Isaac Franco and his wife Ouro Cete, a Jewish couple from Trancoso, for 3,000 reais brancos (currency) on December 12, 1441.
Maço 39, no. 15: "Emprazamento" of a house in the judiaria of Viseu, in front of the synagogue, made by the Cathedral Chapter to Abraão Catarribas and his wife Lediça, a Jewish couple resident in Celorico, on March 20, 1453.
Maço 23, no. 62: D. João de Abreu, bishop of Viseu, made a "emprazamento" (emphyteusis contract) of a mill and house to Samuel Benazo, a Jewish merchant resident in Pinhel, on November 28, 1475.
After the late-15th century expulsion of the Jews and Moors from Portugal, references to the former judiaria and synagogue continue to appear. Some references are of particular interest since they mention the former names of Jewish converts or the destination of Jewish properties after the expulsion. For instance, an "emprazamento" contract made by the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu on November 13, 1499, of a house situated in the Rua Nova of Viseu, previously the Jewish quarter of Viseu, mentions two adjacent houses where Fernão Lopes, previously named Salomon Adida; and Henrique Lopes, formerly Mose Adida, lived (maço 33, no. 26). Other examples can be found in maço 34, no. 1 (December 4, 1494); no. 328 (April 22, 1498); maço 33, no. 8 (October 30, 1498), maço 35, no. 27 (October 30, 1498); no. 58 (September 28, 1500); no. 4 (January 12, 1502); and no. 161 (March 6, 1505).
We would like to thank Dr Anísio Saraiva for the information regarding these records.
Here are some examples of documents of this fonds with mentions to Jews living in Viseu:
Maço (bundle) 26, no. 16: a sale deed in January 1284 mentions a Jew named Abraão, who was the owner of a house in Viseu sold to a Christian couple. This is the first known mention to Jews in Viseu.
Maço 22, no. 4: Donabrãa, a Jew from Viseu, and his wife sold a house to Martim Peres, a canon of the Cathedral Chapter, for 30 pounds on March 4, 1305.
Maço 44, no. 18: "Emprazamento" (emphyteusis contract) of a house in the "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) made by the Cathedral Chapter to Salomon Alentrez and his wife Bemvinda on August 7, 1433.
Maço 41, no. 11 (PT/ADVIS/COL/PERG/000959): Another "emprazamento" of a house in the street that goes to the synagogue to a Jewish couple, David de Pau Corvo and his wife on June 19, 1446.
Other sale and emphyteusis contracts of houses involving Jews of Viseu can be found in maço 48, no. 47 (June 16, 1420); maço 43, no. 24 (December 12, 1420); maço 35, no. 45B (January 15, 1421); maço 41, no. 32 (May 15, 1428), maço 43, no. 6 (March 16, 1429) and no. 33 (November 15, 1429); maço 44, no. 18 (August 7, 1433); maço 49, no. 12 (July 21, 1438); maço 48, no. 50 (October 20, 1438); maço 43, no. 35 (November 9, 1439); maço 15, no. 46 (January 26, 1440); maço 40, no. 31 (May 22, 1443); maço 30, no. 10 (February 9, 1446); maço 49, no. 15 (November 12, 1452); maço 39, no. 15 (March 20, 1453); maço 39, no. 6 (March 29, 1459); maço 49, no. 63 (November 13, 1460); maço 35, no. 17 (August 12, 1472); maço 32, no. 22 (December 31, 1473); maço 43, no. 46 (February 18, 1479); maço 38, no. 50 (February 28, 1480); no. 337 (March 7, 1480); maço 47, no. 29 (October 31, 1481); maço 39, no. 12 (January 7, 1484); maço 44, no. 31 (May 26, 1487); maço 9, no. 14 (September 4, 1487); maço 42, no. 3 (August 11, 1489).
Several other records also mention houses and pieces of land owned by or leased to Jews adjacent to properties sold or leased by the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu, as well as scattered references to the Jewish quarter of Viseu and its limits. For instance: maço 18, no. 72 (February 1, 1379); maço 48, no. 48 (May 7, 1406); maço 18, no. 76 (July 3, 1415); maço 36, no. 50 (January 7, 1418); maço 48, no. 36 (September 4, 1421); maço 19, no. 39 (March 8, 1425); maço 34, no. 44 (October 16, 1439); maço 34, no. 6 (April 17, 1444); maço 37, no. 4 (October 20, 1455); maço 47, no. 35 and 19 (November 5, 1461); maço 32, no. 41 (September 5, 1472); no. 44 (February 12, 1480).
A document dated November 1426 (maço 49, no. 1) also contains interesting information on the commercial activity of Jews of Viseu. It mentions a debt contracted by a Jewish merchant, Juça Molffo, and his guarantors - one of them, Juça Aboab, another Jewish merchant - to purchase a consignment of Spanish clothes. Molffo and Aboab's assets ended up being pledged to pay this debt.
This collection also includes references to Jewish residents in other localities but Viseu, such as Pinhel, Celorico da Beira or Trancoso. Here are some examples:
Maço 25, no. 67: Jacob and his wife Missol, a Jewish couple living in Pinhel, sold a vineyard in Pinhel's outskirts, near the chapel of Santiago, to a Christian merchant from Trancoso, Vasco Pais, for 380 pounds on February 18, 1365. On March 10, their son Abraham confirmed this sale.
Maço 19, no. 79: Samuel Navarro purchased a house in the judiaria of Viseu to Isaac Franco and his wife Ouro Cete, a Jewish couple from Trancoso, for 3,000 reais brancos (currency) on December 12, 1441.
Maço 39, no. 15: "Emprazamento" of a house in the judiaria of Viseu, in front of the synagogue, made by the Cathedral Chapter to Abraão Catarribas and his wife Lediça, a Jewish couple resident in Celorico, on March 20, 1453.
Maço 23, no. 62: D. João de Abreu, bishop of Viseu, made a "emprazamento" (emphyteusis contract) of a mill and house to Samuel Benazo, a Jewish merchant resident in Pinhel, on November 28, 1475.
After the late-15th century expulsion of the Jews and Moors from Portugal, references to the former judiaria and synagogue continue to appear. Some references are of particular interest since they mention the former names of Jewish converts or the destination of Jewish properties after the expulsion. For instance, an "emprazamento" contract made by the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu on November 13, 1499, of a house situated in the Rua Nova of Viseu, previously the Jewish quarter of Viseu, mentions two adjacent houses where Fernão Lopes, previously named Salomon Adida; and Henrique Lopes, formerly Mose Adida, lived (maço 33, no. 26). Other examples can be found in maço 34, no. 1 (December 4, 1494); no. 328 (April 22, 1498); maço 33, no. 8 (October 30, 1498), maço 35, no. 27 (October 30, 1498); no. 58 (September 28, 1500); no. 4 (January 12, 1502); and no. 161 (March 6, 1505).
We would like to thank Dr Anísio Saraiva for the information regarding these records.
Archival history
The documents belonging to the Colecção de Pergaminhos (Parchment Collection) were incorporated in the Arquivo Distrital de Viseu at its foundation in 1932, coming from the registry of the Chapter Cathedral of Viseu. In 1912, 175 parchments were sent to the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (National Archives), but 94 returned to the Arquivo Distrital in April 1965.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Cabido da Sé de Viseu (Cathedral Chapter of Viseu) was a corporation or community of ecclesiastics who advised the bishop on the governance of the diocese. Over the centuries, the Cathedral Chapter took on different functions established in different synodal constitutions and by-laws.
The Cathedral Chapter of Viseu's history dates back to before the restoration of the diocese in 1147. Indeed, there was already a group of clerics living with the priest of the church of Santa Maria in 1110. At this time, the church was already designated as "ecclesia Sancte Marie episcopalis sedis visensis", but its diocesan administration remained subordinated to the bishop of Coimbra until 1147, when D. Odório, the priest of Santa Maria, was appointed bishop of Viseu.
Initially, the Cathedral Chapter was headed by a prior, and the canons lived in communal households. After the restoration of the diocese, a process of hierarchisation began, as well as the progressive abandonment of the community life. The first mentions of a "deão" (dean) as head of the Viseu Chapter date back to the late 12th century. Then, other dignities were also instituted: the archdeacon, the cantor, the "mestre-escola" (schoolmaster) and the treasurer. Thirty prebends were created, thus establishing a numerus clausus for the entrance of new canons into the Cathedral Chapter. It led to the division of the diocese's income and estates between two "mesas" (boards) following the example of the Braga Cathedral: 2/3 of the revenue belonged to the bishop and 1/3 to the Chapter.
Over the centuries, the Cathedral Chapter continued to exercise the mission of advising the bishop on the government of the diocese and administrating the diocese in the case of "sede vacante" or in the absence of the bishop, which was quite common during the Medieval and Early Modern times.
The Cathedral Chapter of Viseu's history dates back to before the restoration of the diocese in 1147. Indeed, there was already a group of clerics living with the priest of the church of Santa Maria in 1110. At this time, the church was already designated as "ecclesia Sancte Marie episcopalis sedis visensis", but its diocesan administration remained subordinated to the bishop of Coimbra until 1147, when D. Odório, the priest of Santa Maria, was appointed bishop of Viseu.
Initially, the Cathedral Chapter was headed by a prior, and the canons lived in communal households. After the restoration of the diocese, a process of hierarchisation began, as well as the progressive abandonment of the community life. The first mentions of a "deão" (dean) as head of the Viseu Chapter date back to the late 12th century. Then, other dignities were also instituted: the archdeacon, the cantor, the "mestre-escola" (schoolmaster) and the treasurer. Thirty prebends were created, thus establishing a numerus clausus for the entrance of new canons into the Cathedral Chapter. It led to the division of the diocese's income and estates between two "mesas" (boards) following the example of the Braga Cathedral: 2/3 of the revenue belonged to the bishop and 1/3 to the Chapter.
Over the centuries, the Cathedral Chapter continued to exercise the mission of advising the bishop on the government of the diocese and administrating the diocese in the case of "sede vacante" or in the absence of the bishop, which was quite common during the Medieval and Early Modern times.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are arranged sequentially.
Access, restrictions
Access without restrictions, except for documents in poor physical condition.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Mariana Lourenço dos Reis, 2021
Bibliography
Linked resources
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