Fondo de las Cinco Llagas
Item
Country
ES
Name of institution (English)
Diocesan Archive of Astorga
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
spa
Contact information: postal address
Obispo Merida, 24700 Astorga
Contact information: phone number
0034 987615820
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
obispado@diocesisastorga.es
secretariageneral@diocesisastorga.es;
archivo@diocesisastorga.es
Reference number
ES. 24008. AD
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
The Five Wounds of Christ Collection
Title (official language of the state)
Fondo de las Cinco Llagas
Language of title
spa
Creator / accumulator
Royal Confraternity of the Five Wounds of Christ, Astorga
Date note
13th century/19th century
Language(s)
spa
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Five Wounds of Christ Collection (Fondo de las Cinco Llagas) of the Diocesan Archive of Astorga contains documents produced and received by different confraternities of Astorga that merged into the Real Hermandad de las Cinco Llagas. It is composed of more than 200 volumes and files. The documentation is from the 13th to the 19th centuries and is housed in cardboard boxes.
The medieval documents of the collection are composed of 341 parchments, between the years 1255 and 1500. The fonds did not originate in one single confraternity, but from different medieval confraternities that ended up merging. Twenty-four confraternities existed in Astorga. The most significant were San Esteban (the most economically active and powerful), Santa Maria, Santa Marta, San Feliz, Nuestra Señora de Rocamador, San Martin, San Dictino, San Nicolas, Los Martires and Corpus Christi. Their documentation is similar: statutes and ordinances, payments, purchases and sales, donations, last wills, etc. There is both paper and parchment documentation. Notaries recorded almost all the documents, since confraternities either had their own scribes, or used those of the city.
Between the 13th and 14th centuries, half of the documents are purchases and sales; the other half are last wills, grants, and property exchanges. In both cases, it is documentation derived from the economic management of confraternities’ real estate.
There are 312 15th-century documents, regarding three key issues: the organization of confraternities’ finances; the internal regime of the confraternities; and last wills and donations that allowed for an increase in the real estate of the confraternities in exchange for spiritual benefits or the specific endowment of chapels.
As for the organization of real estate, the collection contains sales, rentals, and exchanges of property. There are lawsuits and judgments that confraternities issued in order to confirm the duties and obligations of the tenant. Regarding the confraternities’ internal set of rules, there are matters related to their members. Confraternities kept their own accounts, which were delivered annually by the confraternities’ economic managers. Finally, a huge part of confraternities’ real estate came from donations and last wills.
Concerning Jews, there is information in sales documents, such as a sale made by Maria Martinez to pay off a debt with Samuel, a carpenter (1317). Donations are also important, such as the donation to Mose Gazo of houses belonging to the Santa Marta Confraternities (1373). Through other donations, sales, and exchanges of property, the presence of Jews dwelling in different locations in Astorga is documented, such as Abrahan Peres, who lived next to some houses of the Santa Maria brotherhood (1447). The rental of houses by Jews in Astorga is also confirmed, such as Salamon, who rented some houses to the San Esteban Confraternity (1441). There are lawsuits concerning the repair and maintenance of confraternities’ houses, as happened with Abrahan Pesquer, a blacksmith, who had refused to repair some houses leased to the San Esteban brotherhood (1455). Guardianship of minors is also witnessed in these documents, as in the case of Yaco Castellano, who was the tutor of Abraham and Yuçe Gazo (1381).
The medieval documents of the collection are composed of 341 parchments, between the years 1255 and 1500. The fonds did not originate in one single confraternity, but from different medieval confraternities that ended up merging. Twenty-four confraternities existed in Astorga. The most significant were San Esteban (the most economically active and powerful), Santa Maria, Santa Marta, San Feliz, Nuestra Señora de Rocamador, San Martin, San Dictino, San Nicolas, Los Martires and Corpus Christi. Their documentation is similar: statutes and ordinances, payments, purchases and sales, donations, last wills, etc. There is both paper and parchment documentation. Notaries recorded almost all the documents, since confraternities either had their own scribes, or used those of the city.
Between the 13th and 14th centuries, half of the documents are purchases and sales; the other half are last wills, grants, and property exchanges. In both cases, it is documentation derived from the economic management of confraternities’ real estate.
There are 312 15th-century documents, regarding three key issues: the organization of confraternities’ finances; the internal regime of the confraternities; and last wills and donations that allowed for an increase in the real estate of the confraternities in exchange for spiritual benefits or the specific endowment of chapels.
As for the organization of real estate, the collection contains sales, rentals, and exchanges of property. There are lawsuits and judgments that confraternities issued in order to confirm the duties and obligations of the tenant. Regarding the confraternities’ internal set of rules, there are matters related to their members. Confraternities kept their own accounts, which were delivered annually by the confraternities’ economic managers. Finally, a huge part of confraternities’ real estate came from donations and last wills.
Concerning Jews, there is information in sales documents, such as a sale made by Maria Martinez to pay off a debt with Samuel, a carpenter (1317). Donations are also important, such as the donation to Mose Gazo of houses belonging to the Santa Marta Confraternities (1373). Through other donations, sales, and exchanges of property, the presence of Jews dwelling in different locations in Astorga is documented, such as Abrahan Peres, who lived next to some houses of the Santa Maria brotherhood (1447). The rental of houses by Jews in Astorga is also confirmed, such as Salamon, who rented some houses to the San Esteban Confraternity (1441). There are lawsuits concerning the repair and maintenance of confraternities’ houses, as happened with Abrahan Pesquer, a blacksmith, who had refused to repair some houses leased to the San Esteban brotherhood (1455). Guardianship of minors is also witnessed in these documents, as in the case of Yaco Castellano, who was the tutor of Abraham and Yuçe Gazo (1381).
Archival history
The Diocesan Archive of Astorga was organized after the 1905 fire that affected the building that housed it. It was transferred to the cellars of the Episcopal palace, then under construction. After 50 years of neglect, it began to be organized by professional archivists. Today, the archive is located in a modern building, expressly built for it, and it is being classified.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Royal Confraternity of the Five Wounds of Christ of Astorga had its headquarters in the Hospital of the same name located next to the gate that led to the Way of St. James in Astorga. The name Five Wounds (Cinco Llagas) was adopted in the 16th century, right after five of the most representative brotherhoods in the city merged: Santa Marta, San Feliz, Los Martires, Corpus Christi and San Nicolas. This group did not include the San Esteban Brotherhood, which joined them in the 19th century. The Hospital disappeared due to a fire. Fortunately, its documentary fonds had already been transferred to the Diocesan Archive.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
Access to the archive is free upon the presentation of an identification document. The consultation of the documents will be subject to the legal regulations in force regarding access and may be restricted depending on the documents’ state of preservation.
Finding aids
An inventory of the collection 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
Author of the description
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivo Diocesano de Astorga | Collections (official language of the state) |