Archivo de la Catedral de Calahorra
Item
Country
ES
Name of institution (English)
Cathedral Archive of Calahorra
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
spa
Contact information: postal address
Palacio Episcopal, Paseo de las Bolas, 26500 Calahorra
Contact information: phone number
0034 941130098
Contact information: email
catedraldecalahorra@gmail.com
Reference number
ES. 26036. ACD
Title (English)
Cathedral Archive of Calahorra
Title (official language of the state)
Archivo de la Catedral de Calahorra
Language of title
spa
Creator / accumulator
Cathedral chapter of Calahorra
Date(s)
1045/2000
Language(s)
heb
lat
spa
Extent
8,378 volumes
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The collection of the Cathedral Archive of Calahorra gathers documents produced or received by the cathedral chapter from the 11th to the 20th centuries. The archive contains documentation related to the activities of the cathedral chapter and includes different thematic areas. Specifically, the sections that contain medieval documentation, including references to Jews, are:
“Actas capitulares” (Cathedral Chapter Minutes Notebooks) (1450/1989). It contains 100 volumes. Cathedral chapter agreements are recorded in the minutes.
“Codices y libros importantes” (Important Codices and Books) (1200/1800). It contains 32 manuscripts.
“Cuentas de fabrica” (Cathedral Building Accounts) (1450/1926). It contains nine volumes. This section collects information about the works carried out in the cathedral and adjacent buildings belonging to the cathedral chapter. It also contains information on wages paid to workers.
“Documentos medievales” (Medieval Manuscripts) (1045/1500). It contains 1,200 manuscripts.
Concerning Jews, one of the most important documents of the collection is a fragmentary Torah Scroll, which was discovered in 1929. The parchment was reused in two volumes of the Cathedral Chapter Minutes Notebooks (1451/60 and 1470/1476). Another relevant document is the donation in 1492 of the synagogue by the Castilian Monarchs to the cathedral chapter.
There are pontifical documents that witness the presence of Jews in the city. In 1252, the Pope insisted that the Church of Tudela force the Jews of the Aljama of Calahorra to pay tithes on animals, plots of land, and real estate. The same occurred in 1264, when the Pope ordered the Church of Burgos to compel the Jews of Calahorra and its diocese to pay tithes on lands and possessions acquired from Christians. Codex no. 32 contains the Synod of Logroño of 1323 that includes one chapter on "How the Jews are to swear" when they are called to trial. Among the royal documents stands out the donation of a building that had belonged to the Jews to serve as a hostel for the poor and pilgrims (1145) (doc. no. 40). It also contains a command of Alfonso VIII addressed to the Jews of Calahorra to pay tithes on the vineyards and land they had leased from the cathedral chapter (1158-1180). In 1331, Alfonso XI confirmed the privileges granted to the Arnedo Aljama.
There are also other documents on rentals, purchases and sales of real estate, donations, loans, debts, and tax farming, etc., that show the participation of the Jews in the social life of Calahorra and its surrounding places. For example, Codex no. 1 documents that in 1098 there were already Jews living next to the Church of Santa Maria. This same Codex contains the donation of a vineyard made by Petro Cidez and his wife Oro to the Bishop of Calahorra (1146-1190). As for tax farming, in 1346, the Jews of Arnedo rented from the cathedral chapter the “30 coins” tax that they had to pay annually.
Likewise, purchase-sale charters or receipts written in Hebrew are preserved. For example, the sale of a vineyard made by Maria Absaror, Ishaq Usillo and Levi Chico (1259) (“Pergaminos hebreos”, no. 7) or the sale of a garden made by Ora Dona and Shelomo Abusahq (1283) (“Pergaminos hebreos”, no. 5).
“Actas capitulares” (Cathedral Chapter Minutes Notebooks) (1450/1989). It contains 100 volumes. Cathedral chapter agreements are recorded in the minutes.
“Codices y libros importantes” (Important Codices and Books) (1200/1800). It contains 32 manuscripts.
“Cuentas de fabrica” (Cathedral Building Accounts) (1450/1926). It contains nine volumes. This section collects information about the works carried out in the cathedral and adjacent buildings belonging to the cathedral chapter. It also contains information on wages paid to workers.
“Documentos medievales” (Medieval Manuscripts) (1045/1500). It contains 1,200 manuscripts.
Concerning Jews, one of the most important documents of the collection is a fragmentary Torah Scroll, which was discovered in 1929. The parchment was reused in two volumes of the Cathedral Chapter Minutes Notebooks (1451/60 and 1470/1476). Another relevant document is the donation in 1492 of the synagogue by the Castilian Monarchs to the cathedral chapter.
There are pontifical documents that witness the presence of Jews in the city. In 1252, the Pope insisted that the Church of Tudela force the Jews of the Aljama of Calahorra to pay tithes on animals, plots of land, and real estate. The same occurred in 1264, when the Pope ordered the Church of Burgos to compel the Jews of Calahorra and its diocese to pay tithes on lands and possessions acquired from Christians. Codex no. 32 contains the Synod of Logroño of 1323 that includes one chapter on "How the Jews are to swear" when they are called to trial. Among the royal documents stands out the donation of a building that had belonged to the Jews to serve as a hostel for the poor and pilgrims (1145) (doc. no. 40). It also contains a command of Alfonso VIII addressed to the Jews of Calahorra to pay tithes on the vineyards and land they had leased from the cathedral chapter (1158-1180). In 1331, Alfonso XI confirmed the privileges granted to the Arnedo Aljama.
There are also other documents on rentals, purchases and sales of real estate, donations, loans, debts, and tax farming, etc., that show the participation of the Jews in the social life of Calahorra and its surrounding places. For example, Codex no. 1 documents that in 1098 there were already Jews living next to the Church of Santa Maria. This same Codex contains the donation of a vineyard made by Petro Cidez and his wife Oro to the Bishop of Calahorra (1146-1190). As for tax farming, in 1346, the Jews of Arnedo rented from the cathedral chapter the “30 coins” tax that they had to pay annually.
Likewise, purchase-sale charters or receipts written in Hebrew are preserved. For example, the sale of a vineyard made by Maria Absaror, Ishaq Usillo and Levi Chico (1259) (“Pergaminos hebreos”, no. 7) or the sale of a garden made by Ora Dona and Shelomo Abusahq (1283) (“Pergaminos hebreos”, no. 5).
Archival history
The Cathedral Archive of Calahorra gathers the documents of the old Diocese of Calahorra since its founding, which covered different provinces in northern Spain. In 1618, the first inventory, called Arevalo, was made, although the archive had not been organized yet. During the seventeenth century, the documentation was distributed in 30 drawers. The second inventory (“Arevalo Pequeño”) allows us to know that the archive had 38 drawers and was closed with three keys. The third inventory was completed in 1760. This last catalogue presents an archive already organized and classified into four sections: "Dignidad episcopal" (1 vol. [no. 134] of 330 folios); "Fabrica" (1 vol. [no. 136] of 240 f.); “Fundaciones" (1 vol. [no. 137] 520 f); "Mesa capitular: ciudad" (1 vol. [no. 135] 520) and "partido" (2 vols. [no. 132 and 133] 1120 f.). More recently, its organization by chronological order was carried out.
Currently, the Diocesan Archive has been added to the Cathedral Archive, so the collection is divided into two large sections: Cathedral Chapter Archive and Diocesan Archive.
Currently, the Diocesan Archive has been added to the Cathedral Archive, so the collection is divided into two large sections: Cathedral Chapter Archive and Diocesan Archive.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Cathedral of Calahorra is the oldest historical seat of the Diocese of Calahorra and La Calzada-Logroño. According to local tradition, it arose from the martyrdom of two Roman legionaries around the year 300 in the same place where the cathedral is located today. Already in the fourth century, pilgrimage fostered the construction of a baptistery. This first church was destroyed when the Muslims conquered the city. After its conquest by the Christians in 1045, a new one was built in the same place where the baptistery was located. A few centuries later, the prosperity of the city provided the construction of what, in time, would become the building preserved today. The works started towards the end of the 15th century and lasted for more than 200 years.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
The access to the archive is free upon the presentation of an identification document. The consultation of the documents is subjected to the legal regulations in force regarding access and may be restricted depending on their state of preservation.
Finding aids
A catalogue of the medieval fonds is available at the archive. Data on the collection are also available at the website of the Spanish National Archives (PARES).
Links to finding aids
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivo de la Catedral de Calahorra | Collections (official language of the state) |