Ayuntamiento de Cuellar
Item
Country
ES
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
spa
Contact information: postal address
Palacio, Torre del Homenaje del Castillo de Cuellar, 40200 Cuellar
Contact information: phone number
0034 921142522
Contact information: email
archivo@aytocuellar.es
Reference number
ES.40063.AM/1
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Town Council of Cuellar
Title (official language of the state)
Ayuntamiento de Cuellar
Language of title
spa
Creator / accumulator
Town council of Cuellar
Date(s)
1100/1999
Language(s)
spa
Extent
160 linear metres
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Ayuntamiento de Cuellar collection of the Historical Municipal Archive of Cuellar gathers documentation produced and received by the town council of Cuellar since its repopulation in the 12th century. The oldest document is from 1184, the royal sale of the town of Perosillo to the town council of Cuellar.
Since its repopulation, Cuellar municipality belonged to the Castilian Crown as a royal lordship. Castilian Monarchs granted the town lordship to members of the royal family, to their favourites (“validos”), or to their loyal supporters during regency periods. In 1464, the lordship of the town was granted to Beltran de la Cueva and it passed to the Ducal House of Alburquerque. All these historical events have led to an important collection of medieval documents. Likewise, the town has generated documents related to the local government and administration, such as the town council minutes, pious works patronages, and multiple accounts books.
The fonds is composed of the following sections:
1. Seccion I: Documentos medievales (Section I. Medieval documents) (1184-1578). This section contains the oldest documents. It is made up of the privileges that the Castilian Monarchs granted to the town council and its municipal territory, papal bulls, and other documents of great interest.
2. Seccion II: Documentos antiguos (Section II. Old documents). This section is composed of 51 files, and it gathers documentation from the Santa Maria Magdalena Hospital (between the 15th and 20th centuries) (accounts, properties, administration of assets, books of agreements, etc.); the Convalecientes Hospital (between the 16th and 19th centuries); the Alhondiga (between the 16th and 17th centuries); town council assets accounts (between the 18th and 19th centuries); royal orders (between the 18th and 19th centuries); auctions and taxes (between the 16th and 17th centuries); confiscation records (19th century); population census (18th century), etc.
3. Seccion III: Libros de acuerdos del regimiento y actas municipales (Section III. Town Council Agreements and Minutes Books) (1484-1899), 38 files.
4. Seccion IV. Documentos sobre temas varios (Section IV. Varia). This section gathers financial documentation. For instance, the third series (between the 15th and 19th centuries) is composed of documents related to the Town Council assets (accounts, municipal boundaries, etc.).
5. Seccion V: Corrección publica y carcel (Section V. Prison) (1837-1942).
6. Seccion VI. Instruccion publica (Section VI. Public Education) (1860-1954).
7. Seccion VII. Posito municipal (Section VII. Cereal Municipal Deposit) (1610-1966).
8. Seccion VIII. Elecciones (Section VIII. Elections) (1835-1923).
11. Seccion XI. Quintas (1915).
12. Seccion XII. Correspondencia (Section XII. Correspondence) (1878-1970).
13. Seccion XIII. Archivo del Colegio de Niñas Huerfanas (Section XIII. Orphan Girls College Archive) (between the 18th and 19th centuries).
14. Seccion XIV. Archivo de la Comunidad de Villa y tierra antigua de Cuellar (Section XIV. Cuellar Town and Municipality Archive) (between the 13th and 20th centuries). This section is divided into three series. The third series contains medieval documents of various types, such as municipal boundaries, lawsuits, etc.
Concerning Jews, information on different judgments and lawsuits is preserved. In the judgment of a lawsuit related to some pledges, Don Yuçef Abenhayn, Don Çag de Castro and Lezar Zalama are mentioned as tax farmers of the sales tax (“alcabalas”) in Cuellar (1370). Another judgement concerning pledges taken from the taxpayers (“pecheros”) of the town is preserved, in which Don Yuçef, who was a tax farmer in Cuellar, is mentioned. Finally, Don Jacob, one of the tax farmers of the “seis monedas” tax, is mentioned in the cancellation of the taking of pledges from the taxpayers of Cuellar (1394).
Since its repopulation, Cuellar municipality belonged to the Castilian Crown as a royal lordship. Castilian Monarchs granted the town lordship to members of the royal family, to their favourites (“validos”), or to their loyal supporters during regency periods. In 1464, the lordship of the town was granted to Beltran de la Cueva and it passed to the Ducal House of Alburquerque. All these historical events have led to an important collection of medieval documents. Likewise, the town has generated documents related to the local government and administration, such as the town council minutes, pious works patronages, and multiple accounts books.
The fonds is composed of the following sections:
1. Seccion I: Documentos medievales (Section I. Medieval documents) (1184-1578). This section contains the oldest documents. It is made up of the privileges that the Castilian Monarchs granted to the town council and its municipal territory, papal bulls, and other documents of great interest.
2. Seccion II: Documentos antiguos (Section II. Old documents). This section is composed of 51 files, and it gathers documentation from the Santa Maria Magdalena Hospital (between the 15th and 20th centuries) (accounts, properties, administration of assets, books of agreements, etc.); the Convalecientes Hospital (between the 16th and 19th centuries); the Alhondiga (between the 16th and 17th centuries); town council assets accounts (between the 18th and 19th centuries); royal orders (between the 18th and 19th centuries); auctions and taxes (between the 16th and 17th centuries); confiscation records (19th century); population census (18th century), etc.
3. Seccion III: Libros de acuerdos del regimiento y actas municipales (Section III. Town Council Agreements and Minutes Books) (1484-1899), 38 files.
4. Seccion IV. Documentos sobre temas varios (Section IV. Varia). This section gathers financial documentation. For instance, the third series (between the 15th and 19th centuries) is composed of documents related to the Town Council assets (accounts, municipal boundaries, etc.).
5. Seccion V: Corrección publica y carcel (Section V. Prison) (1837-1942).
6. Seccion VI. Instruccion publica (Section VI. Public Education) (1860-1954).
7. Seccion VII. Posito municipal (Section VII. Cereal Municipal Deposit) (1610-1966).
8. Seccion VIII. Elecciones (Section VIII. Elections) (1835-1923).
11. Seccion XI. Quintas (1915).
12. Seccion XII. Correspondencia (Section XII. Correspondence) (1878-1970).
13. Seccion XIII. Archivo del Colegio de Niñas Huerfanas (Section XIII. Orphan Girls College Archive) (between the 18th and 19th centuries).
14. Seccion XIV. Archivo de la Comunidad de Villa y tierra antigua de Cuellar (Section XIV. Cuellar Town and Municipality Archive) (between the 13th and 20th centuries). This section is divided into three series. The third series contains medieval documents of various types, such as municipal boundaries, lawsuits, etc.
Concerning Jews, information on different judgments and lawsuits is preserved. In the judgment of a lawsuit related to some pledges, Don Yuçef Abenhayn, Don Çag de Castro and Lezar Zalama are mentioned as tax farmers of the sales tax (“alcabalas”) in Cuellar (1370). Another judgement concerning pledges taken from the taxpayers (“pecheros”) of the town is preserved, in which Don Yuçef, who was a tax farmer in Cuellar, is mentioned. Finally, Don Jacob, one of the tax farmers of the “seis monedas” tax, is mentioned in the cancellation of the taking of pledges from the taxpayers of Cuellar (1394).
Archival history
Up to the 1960s, the Historical Municipal Archive of Cuellar was completely disorganized. In some cases, though, the documents had call numbers, which means that there had been some kind of previous organization. Among the documents, an inventory made in 1708 was found. Thanks to this register, the collection of medieval documents could be reconstructed since all the documents preserved from the municipal documentary fonds and from the Cuellar Town and Municipality Archive are mentioned there.
Administrative / Biographical history
After the conquest of Toledo by Alfonso VI in 1085, the area between the Duero and Tajo rivers was repopulated through the foundation of towns. One of these towns was Cuellar, which during the Middle Ages became head of a town and municipal community with 80 villages under its control.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
This collection is divided into the following documentary sections: Ayuntamiento de Cuellar: I. Documentos medievales; II. Documentos antiguos; III. Libros de regimiento y actas; IV. Documentos sobre temas varios; V. Corrección publica y carcel; VI. Instruccion publica; VII. Posito municipal; VIII. Elecciones; IX. Cuentas municipales; X. Expedientes de obras; XI. Quintas; XII. Correspondencia; XIII. Archivo del Colegio de Niñas Huerfanas; XIV. Archivo de la Comunidad de Villa y tierra antigua de Cuellar.
Access, restrictions
Free access regulated by the current legal environment on access to Spanish historical archives (law 16/1985 of Spanish Historical Patrimony).
Finding aids
Data on the collection are also available at the website of the Spanish National Archives (PARES).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivo Historico Municipal de Cuellar | Collections (official language of the state) |