Manuscritos da Livraria
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/MSLIV
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Library Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Manuscritos da Livraria
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Arquivo da Casa da Coroa / Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo
Date note
13th century/20th century
Language(s)
por
lat
Extent
circa 2,300 books
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Manuscritos da Livraria collection comprises manuscripts of two different types: volumes with characteristics of bibliographic work (with a unique scientific or literary text) and others that collect several records, which could be manuscript books with a thematic unity (for instance, writings of a specific author), factitious codices including groups of independent records united in the same binding, and miscellaneous collections of texts with or without thematic coherence.
As it is partially composed of volumes from the Real Mesa Censória (Royal Censorship Board), the collection includes a considerable number of manuscript works that were subject to censure. Therefore, the collection comprises many religious works (books of canon law, sermons, prayers, monastery chronicles, by-laws of religious orders, etc.), as well as books of poetry, theatre plays, polemical and apologetical works, educational books, grammars, genealogies, biographies, travel records, and volumes on Law, Philosophy, Science, and Economy.
The second type of collection units, which are less numerous (circa 300 volumes), are, most of them, generically described as "miscelâneas" (miscellaneous codices) and comprise records of several subjects and typologies. They include diplomatic correspondence, political considerations, records related to the kingdom's governance and administration, documents from conventual registries, among others.
The numerous diplomatic records provide some scattered information related to Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam, London, French and Italian cities, and other destinations of the Western Sephardic Diaspora. Some examples are the following:
PT/TT/MSLIV/1052: Collection of historical manuscripts, including an 18th-century copy of King Manuel I's decisions regarding the massacre of New Christians in Lisbon in 1506. (PT/TT/MSLIV/1052/00011 and PT/TT/MSLIV/1052/00012).
PT/TT/MSLIV/1147: This miscellaneous volume contains a copy of a document (c. 1534-38) reporting information given by Jacob Rosales, a Sephardic merchant and agent, regarding untaken negotiations between King João III and the Sultan of Morocco.
PT/TT/MSLIV/1169: Assorted documents, including a report on an occurrence with a Jew in Germany (PT/TT/MSLIV/1169/00053).
PT/TT/MSLIV/0168: Miscellaneous documents, including letters by Jerónimo Nunes da Costa, alias Moisés Curiel (1620-1697), a Jewish agent of the Portuguese crown in Amsterdam (PT/TT/MSLIV/0168/00032 and PT/TT/MSLIV/0168/00033). Other documents related to Nunes da Costa can be found in other units of this collection ( PT/TT/MSLIV/0170/00064; PT/TT/MSLIV/0170/00065; PT/TT/MSLIV/0170/00082; PT/TT/MSLIV/1016/00041).
PT/TT/MSLIV/0060: Letters to D. Luís da Cunha (1700-1712), envoy extraordinary in London, including references to Sephardic Jews, such as Daniel Nunes Sierra and Gabriel Arriaz in Livorno (doc. 161).
PT/TT/MSLIV/0395: Collection of letters sent to Marco António de Azevedo Coutinho (1720-1748), envoy extraordinary in London, including references to Portuguese Jews who served the diplomatic legation.
Several codices of this collection contain reflections by diplomats, politicians, and clerics regarding the New Christian question. The subject was approached, at the time, in diplomatic correspondence. Examples could be found in PT/TT/MSLIV/1118 (correspondence between King João III and Álvaro Mendes Vasconcelos, the Portuguese ambassador in Madrid, and D. Henrique de Menezes, ambassador in Rome) and PT/TT/MSLIV/2773 (letters by Alexandre de Gusmão). D. Luís da Cunha approaches this question in his "Instrucções Políticas" (Political instructions) to Marco António de Azevedo Coutinho (PT/TT/MSLIV/1022).
The negotiations for the general pardon and the contestation against the Inquisition's proceedings against New Christians that led to the suspension of the tribunal between 1678 and 1681 are fully reported in Manuscritos da Livraria's documents. The following units contain information: PT/TT/MSLIV/0171/00057; PT/TT/MSLIV/0380; PT/TT/MSLIV/1056/00026; PT/TT/MSLIV/1058; PT/TT/MSLIV/1072/00004; PT/TT/MSLIV/1072/00006; PT/TT/MSLIV/1072/00007; PT/TT/MSLIV/1076/00002; PT/TT/MSLIV/1149/00026; PT/TT/MSLIV/1056. The collection also contains several volumes of Padre António Vieira's writings regarding the New Christian question. See: PT/TT/MSLIV/0843/00003; PT/TT/MSLIV/1034; PT/TT/MSLIV/1035; PT/TT/MSLIV/1036; PT/TT/MSLIV/1098; PT/TT/MSLIV/1114; PT/TT/MSLIV/1171; PT/TT/MSLIV/1172; PT/TT/MSLIV/2489/00013; PT/TT/MSLIV/2541/00019. Codice PT/TT/MSLIV/1168 comprises documents related to the law of 1773 that abolished the distinction between New and Old Christians.
As it is partially composed of volumes from the Real Mesa Censória (Royal Censorship Board), the collection includes a considerable number of manuscript works that were subject to censure. Therefore, the collection comprises many religious works (books of canon law, sermons, prayers, monastery chronicles, by-laws of religious orders, etc.), as well as books of poetry, theatre plays, polemical and apologetical works, educational books, grammars, genealogies, biographies, travel records, and volumes on Law, Philosophy, Science, and Economy.
The second type of collection units, which are less numerous (circa 300 volumes), are, most of them, generically described as "miscelâneas" (miscellaneous codices) and comprise records of several subjects and typologies. They include diplomatic correspondence, political considerations, records related to the kingdom's governance and administration, documents from conventual registries, among others.
The numerous diplomatic records provide some scattered information related to Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam, London, French and Italian cities, and other destinations of the Western Sephardic Diaspora. Some examples are the following:
PT/TT/MSLIV/1052: Collection of historical manuscripts, including an 18th-century copy of King Manuel I's decisions regarding the massacre of New Christians in Lisbon in 1506. (PT/TT/MSLIV/1052/00011 and PT/TT/MSLIV/1052/00012).
PT/TT/MSLIV/1147: This miscellaneous volume contains a copy of a document (c. 1534-38) reporting information given by Jacob Rosales, a Sephardic merchant and agent, regarding untaken negotiations between King João III and the Sultan of Morocco.
PT/TT/MSLIV/1169: Assorted documents, including a report on an occurrence with a Jew in Germany (PT/TT/MSLIV/1169/00053).
PT/TT/MSLIV/0168: Miscellaneous documents, including letters by Jerónimo Nunes da Costa, alias Moisés Curiel (1620-1697), a Jewish agent of the Portuguese crown in Amsterdam (PT/TT/MSLIV/0168/00032 and PT/TT/MSLIV/0168/00033). Other documents related to Nunes da Costa can be found in other units of this collection ( PT/TT/MSLIV/0170/00064; PT/TT/MSLIV/0170/00065; PT/TT/MSLIV/0170/00082; PT/TT/MSLIV/1016/00041).
PT/TT/MSLIV/0060: Letters to D. Luís da Cunha (1700-1712), envoy extraordinary in London, including references to Sephardic Jews, such as Daniel Nunes Sierra and Gabriel Arriaz in Livorno (doc. 161).
PT/TT/MSLIV/0395: Collection of letters sent to Marco António de Azevedo Coutinho (1720-1748), envoy extraordinary in London, including references to Portuguese Jews who served the diplomatic legation.
Several codices of this collection contain reflections by diplomats, politicians, and clerics regarding the New Christian question. The subject was approached, at the time, in diplomatic correspondence. Examples could be found in PT/TT/MSLIV/1118 (correspondence between King João III and Álvaro Mendes Vasconcelos, the Portuguese ambassador in Madrid, and D. Henrique de Menezes, ambassador in Rome) and PT/TT/MSLIV/2773 (letters by Alexandre de Gusmão). D. Luís da Cunha approaches this question in his "Instrucções Políticas" (Political instructions) to Marco António de Azevedo Coutinho (PT/TT/MSLIV/1022).
The negotiations for the general pardon and the contestation against the Inquisition's proceedings against New Christians that led to the suspension of the tribunal between 1678 and 1681 are fully reported in Manuscritos da Livraria's documents. The following units contain information: PT/TT/MSLIV/0171/00057; PT/TT/MSLIV/0380; PT/TT/MSLIV/1056/00026; PT/TT/MSLIV/1058; PT/TT/MSLIV/1072/00004; PT/TT/MSLIV/1072/00006; PT/TT/MSLIV/1072/00007; PT/TT/MSLIV/1076/00002; PT/TT/MSLIV/1149/00026; PT/TT/MSLIV/1056. The collection also contains several volumes of Padre António Vieira's writings regarding the New Christian question. See: PT/TT/MSLIV/0843/00003; PT/TT/MSLIV/1034; PT/TT/MSLIV/1035; PT/TT/MSLIV/1036; PT/TT/MSLIV/1098; PT/TT/MSLIV/1114; PT/TT/MSLIV/1171; PT/TT/MSLIV/1172; PT/TT/MSLIV/2489/00013; PT/TT/MSLIV/2541/00019. Codice PT/TT/MSLIV/1168 comprises documents related to the law of 1773 that abolished the distinction between New and Old Christians.
Archival history
The Manuscritos da Livraria collection was created by António Nunes de Carvalho, chief warden of the Torre do Tombo between 1836 and 1838, essentially with documentation that came from the warehouse of the Convent of São Francisco in Lisbon, where books and records of the extinct monasteries were gathered. These items were added to books belonging to the Viscount of Santarém (former chief warden of the archive) and about 50 volumes of documents he had produced and gathered. Documents from the Arquivo das Congregations, incorporated in the Torre do Tombo in 1930, also joined the collection later. Over the 20th century, several other miscellaneous manuscripts that entered the archive ended up joining the collection. Among the various provenances of the Manuscritos da Livraria's volumes, the following are already identified: Real Mesa Censória; Cartuxa de Évora; Congregação do Oratório; Colégio de Campolide; convents and monasteries of Nossa Senhora da Graça de Lisboa, São Vicente de Fora de Lisboa, São Francisco de Xabregas, São Bento de Xabregas, Santa Maria de Belém, Santa Maria de Alcobaça, São José de Ribamar, Santo António de Lisboa, Espírito Santo de Lisboa, São Teotónio de Viana, among others.
In 1996, the Manuscritos da Livraria number 2274 and 771 were delivered to the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (National Library of Portugal). The same happened with the Manuscrito da Livraria number 2266 in 2007.
Part of the collection's volumes, in particular the last 150 books, were acquired by the Torre do Tombo or donated to the archive between 1918 and 1992, in particular in 1972. Some volumes were acquired by the Biblioteca Nacional and later dispatched to the Torre do Tombo.
In 1996, the Manuscritos da Livraria number 2274 and 771 were delivered to the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (National Library of Portugal). The same happened with the Manuscrito da Livraria number 2266 in 2007.
Part of the collection's volumes, in particular the last 150 books, were acquired by the Torre do Tombo or donated to the archive between 1918 and 1992, in particular in 1972. Some volumes were acquired by the Biblioteca Nacional and later dispatched to the Torre do Tombo.
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: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Volumes are arranged sequentially, but there are some missing numbers.
Access, restrictions
Some documents are subject to restrictions.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in the Torre do Tombo:
"Catálogo de documentação referente à Índia - State Papers" (Catalogue of records related to India) (L 500).
Henriques, Afonso [1925]. "Manuscritos do Brasil, sumários" (Abstracts of Brazil's manuscripts) (C 3).
"Manuscritos da Livraria". Partial catalogue (C 520 a 528 G).
"Miscelâneas Manuscritas". Alphabetic catalogue of authors and subjects. It does not comprise all records of this collection. Some descriptions are related to printing books that are part of the Série Preta (Black Series) of the Torre do Tombo. (C 529 a 539).
"Catálogo alfabético de autores e assuntos" (Alphabetic catalogue of authors and subjects). Partial catalogue (F 40).
"Manuscritos diversos" (C 519A).
Published finding aids:
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo | Collections (official language of the state) |