Província do Carmo
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
Contact information: email
mail@dglab.gov.pt
Reference number
PT/TT/PC
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Province of Carmo
Title (official language of the state)
Província do Carmo
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Província da Ordem do Carmo
Date(s)
1355/1834
Language(s)
por
lat
Extent
11 books and 54 bundles
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Província do Carmo fonds comprises documentation related to or produced by the Portuguese Carmelite Province, including correspondence between Carmelite monasteries and the Province, petitions, inventories, sentences, deeds, certifications, financial and property records, etc. Some of the documentation comes from the Azores and Brazil, particularly convents in Pernambuco, Bahia, Olinda and Rio de Janeiro.
The oldest records of this fonds lie in the Documentos vários (Miscellaneous documents) series, namely in "maço" (bundle) number 48 (PT/TT/PC/012/0014). An unnumbered parchment in this bundle reports the restitution of two vineyards in Almada that D. Iria Gonçalves, the mother of Constable D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, made to D. Cimfa, wife of David Negro. Negro was a rich court Jew and "almoxarife dos dízimos reais" (receiver-general of royal tithes) at the time of King Fernando who, during the 1383-1385 dynastic crisis, was accused of treason for taking the side of the King of Castille. His assets were arrested and delivered by D. João of Aviz (future King João I) to the Constable. Later, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira donated them to the Monastery of Nossa Senhora do Carmo. However, these two vineyards were not part of Negro's estate given to the Monastery and, for this reason, D. Iria could restitute them to Negro's wife.
Another document in this bundle (doc. 23) reports a deed of "escambo" (exchange) in 1437 of the attic of a house in the Judiaria Velha (Old Jewish quarter) that Constable Nuno Álvares Pereira dealt with the Chief Admiral of the kingdom, who was "aforado" (had an emphyteusis contract) with a Jew named Jacob Navarro.
We would like to thank Dr Mário Farelo for the information regarding these records.
The oldest records of this fonds lie in the Documentos vários (Miscellaneous documents) series, namely in "maço" (bundle) number 48 (PT/TT/PC/012/0014). An unnumbered parchment in this bundle reports the restitution of two vineyards in Almada that D. Iria Gonçalves, the mother of Constable D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, made to D. Cimfa, wife of David Negro. Negro was a rich court Jew and "almoxarife dos dízimos reais" (receiver-general of royal tithes) at the time of King Fernando who, during the 1383-1385 dynastic crisis, was accused of treason for taking the side of the King of Castille. His assets were arrested and delivered by D. João of Aviz (future King João I) to the Constable. Later, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira donated them to the Monastery of Nossa Senhora do Carmo. However, these two vineyards were not part of Negro's estate given to the Monastery and, for this reason, D. Iria could restitute them to Negro's wife.
Another document in this bundle (doc. 23) reports a deed of "escambo" (exchange) in 1437 of the attic of a house in the Judiaria Velha (Old Jewish quarter) that Constable Nuno Álvares Pereira dealt with the Chief Admiral of the kingdom, who was "aforado" (had an emphyteusis contract) with a Jew named Jacob Navarro.
We would like to thank Dr Mário Farelo for the information regarding these records.
Archival history
In 1834, the Province of the Carmelite Order's archive was transferred to the Direcção Geral dos Próprios Nacionais (Directorate General of National Assets). The documents were relocated to the Torre do Tombo at two different times: books 1 to 25 were incorporated in 1867, and books 28 to 105 and bundle 52 in 1894. The provenance of book 26 is unknown. Book 27 was part of the Real Mesa Censória (Royal Censorship Board) fonds.
On May 9, 1883, the documents of the Carmelite convents of Lisbon, as well as records from other convents and monasteries, were transferred from the Repartição da Fazenda do Distrito de Lisboa (Treasure Department of Lisbon District) to the Torre do Tombo.
In the late 1990s, the documentation was subject to archival processing by Torre do Tombo's technicians and external experts. The geographical organisation by localities where the convents and monasteries were situated was replaced by gathering the fonds according to the respective religious orders. The Ordem do Carmo fonds was then constituted, comprising all convents of the Carmelite order.
The records of the Província do Carmo fonds were incorporated in the Convento de Nossa Senhora do Carmo de Lisboa fonds until 2002. After their organisation in independent fonds, the numbering changed, and the records were arranged in series, following the original ordering where possible. The documents stored in bundles were gathered in the Documentos vários (Miscellaneous documents) series, and they are still not catalogued.
On May 9, 1883, the documents of the Carmelite convents of Lisbon, as well as records from other convents and monasteries, were transferred from the Repartição da Fazenda do Distrito de Lisboa (Treasure Department of Lisbon District) to the Torre do Tombo.
In the late 1990s, the documentation was subject to archival processing by Torre do Tombo's technicians and external experts. The geographical organisation by localities where the convents and monasteries were situated was replaced by gathering the fonds according to the respective religious orders. The Ordem do Carmo fonds was then constituted, comprising all convents of the Carmelite order.
The records of the Província do Carmo fonds were incorporated in the Convento de Nossa Senhora do Carmo de Lisboa fonds until 2002. After their organisation in independent fonds, the numbering changed, and the records were arranged in series, following the original ordering where possible. The documents stored in bundles were gathered in the Documentos vários (Miscellaneous documents) series, and they are still not catalogued.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Province of the Carmelite Order of Portugal was instituted in 1423, during the first Provincial Chapter of the Order. Afonso de Alfama was then elected the first provincial. The first statutes of the Province were confirmed by King João I in 1424. The Convent of Santa Maria do Carmo of Lisbon is mentioned there as the Province's headquarters.
The Province had custody over all male and female Discalced Carmelite convents in Portugal: Colares, Vidigueira, Beja, Évora, Coimbra, Lagoa, Mértola, Trancoso, Torres Novas, Setúbal, Alverca, Camarate, Porto de Mós, Faro, Porto, Viseu, Lordelo, Guimarães, Tentúgal, and Lagos.
In the mid-17th century, the first convents in the Portuguese Atlantic islands were founded, namely Faial in 1651 and Madeira in 1663.
The Carmelites spread to overseas territories after the late 16th century. Then, the vice-province of Brazil had four convents: Olinda, Bahia, Santos, and Rio de Janeiro. In the mid-16th century, the vice-province was divided into two: the State of Brazil, with 9 convents, and the State of Maranhão, with 3 convents. Later, in 1685, the vice-province of the State of Brazil gave place to two other vice-provinces: Rio de Janeiro (with 6 convents) and Bahia and Pernambuco (with 7 convents). The Brazilian convents were dependent on the Portuguese Province until 1720 when Pope Clement XII confirmed their separation from the Carmelite Order of Portugal. However, the convents of the vice-province of Maranhão were still dependent on Portugal until 1823.
After the dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal in 1834, the Province of the Carmelite Order's assets and income were incorporated into the National Treasure.
The Province had custody over all male and female Discalced Carmelite convents in Portugal: Colares, Vidigueira, Beja, Évora, Coimbra, Lagoa, Mértola, Trancoso, Torres Novas, Setúbal, Alverca, Camarate, Porto de Mós, Faro, Porto, Viseu, Lordelo, Guimarães, Tentúgal, and Lagos.
In the mid-17th century, the first convents in the Portuguese Atlantic islands were founded, namely Faial in 1651 and Madeira in 1663.
The Carmelites spread to overseas territories after the late 16th century. Then, the vice-province of Brazil had four convents: Olinda, Bahia, Santos, and Rio de Janeiro. In the mid-16th century, the vice-province was divided into two: the State of Brazil, with 9 convents, and the State of Maranhão, with 3 convents. Later, in 1685, the vice-province of the State of Brazil gave place to two other vice-provinces: Rio de Janeiro (with 6 convents) and Bahia and Pernambuco (with 7 convents). The Brazilian convents were dependent on the Portuguese Province until 1720 when Pope Clement XII confirmed their separation from the Carmelite Order of Portugal. However, the convents of the vice-province of Maranhão were still dependent on Portugal until 1823.
After the dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal in 1834, the Province of the Carmelite Order's assets and income were incorporated into the National Treasure.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is organised into twelve series, corresponding to the formal typology of the records.
Access, restrictions
Access without restrictions, except for documents in poor physical condition or available in alternative formats (microfilm or digital copies).
Finding aids
Handwritten and typewritten finding aids available in the Torre do Tombo:
"Conventos Diversos" (Various convents), caderneta 2 (B-D) (C 269).
"Relação de documentos vindos da Direcção-Geral dos Próprios Nacionais, em 14 de Maio de 1894" (Inventory of the documents that came from the Directorate General Assets on May 14, 1984) ( C 279).
Published finding aids:
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo | Collections (official language of the state) |