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Country
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US
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Language of name of institution
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eng
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Contact information: postal address
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Harvard Yard, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138
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Contact information: phone number
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001 (617) 495 2440
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Contact information: email
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Houghton_Library@harvard.edu
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Reference number
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MS Port 19
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Type of reference number
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Archival reference number
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Title (official language of the state)
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Fernando Palha collection of Portuguese historical autographs
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Language of title
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eng
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Creator / accumulator
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Fernando Palha
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Date(s)
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1523/1890
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Language(s)
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fra
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lat
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por
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spa
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Extent
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0.46 linear metres (3 boxes)
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Type of material
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Graphic Material
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Textual Material
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Scope and content
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This collection comprises letters and documents from the 16th to the 19th century collected by Portuguese historian and public official Fernando Palha (1851-1897). The documents are signed by influential figures in the history of Portugal, including members of the Portuguese and other European royal families and political, cultural, and religious leaders. In addition to letters and documents, there are some manuscripts of poems and a few photographs.
This collection includes letters written by several personalities to the court of King João III of Portugal, some referring to members of the Mendes Benveniste family and Álvaro Mendes, alias Solomon Aben Yaesh. These letters were published by Jeremiah D. M. Ford (1931).
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Archival history
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This collection was donated to the Houghton Library by John B. Stetson, Jr. (1854-1952), who had acquired it from the library of Fernando Palha (1851-1897). The collection entered the library on December 3, 1928.
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Administrative / Biographical history
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Fernando Palha Osório Cabral (1851-1897) was a Portuguese historian, book collector and public official. After completing his studies in Law at the University of Coimbra, he pursued a political career. In 1884, he was elected President of the Partido Regenerador (Regenerator Party). Later, he adhered to the Partido Progressista (Progressive Party) and was elected member of the Portuguese Parliament. From 1886 to 1890, he was the Mayor of Lisbon.
His research was primarily devoted to the role played by the Marquis of Castelo Melhor during the reigns of Afonso VI and Pedro II of Portugal. In order to support this research, he acquired a precious collection of manuscripts and printed books. In 1896, shortly before his death, a catalogue of his library was published: Catalogue de la Bibliothèque de M. Fernando Palha.
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System of arrangement
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Arranged alphabetically by author.
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Author of the description
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Carla Vieira, 2022
