Manuscritos
Item
Country
ES
Name of institution (English)
National Library of Spain
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
spa
Contact information: postal address
Paseo de Recoletos 20-22, 28071 Madrid
Contact information: phone number
0034 915807800
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
Reference number
MSS
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Manuscritos
Language of title
spa
Creator / accumulator
National Library of Spain
Date note
6th century b.C./20th century a.C.
Language(s)
arg
cat
heb
ita
lat
spa
others
Extent
83,000 storage units
Type of material
Graphic Material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This National Library of Spain collection comprises numerous manuscripts related to the history of Spain and its former empire and global history in general.
Sephardic communities are vital for the history of Spain. Some manuscripts in this collection relate to the history and Diaspora of those communities, such as the following:
MSS/5469: Hebrew Bible containing the Pentateuch, Haftarot of the Prophets and the five Megillot with the respective Masorah magna and parva. 13th century.
MSS/5456: Hebrew Bible containing the Pentateuch and Psalms (fragments). 13th/14th century.
MSS/5464: Hebrew Bible with commentaries by Rashi. 13th/14th century.
MSS/5458: Manuscript of Nachmanides's Ḥadẇši šabat. 14th century.
MSS/5454: 14th-century manuscript copy of David Kimhi's Seper ha šorašim.
MSS/10289: "Mostrador e enseñador de los turbanos": Maimonides's Dalālat al-ḥā'irīn translated into Spanish by Pedro de Toledo in 1432.
MSS/5474: Hebrew collection of Geometry treatises of several classic authors composed in the 14th or 15th century.
MSS/5459: Aristoteles' Nicomachean Ethics translated into Hebrew by Meir ben Solomon Alguadez. 15th century.
MSS/17812: Manuscript copy of Judah ha-Levi's Cuzari. 15th century.
MSS/5462: Samuel ibn Tibbon's translation of Maimonides's commentaries to the treatise ʼAbot and Chapter 10 of the Sanhedrín of Mishnah. 15th century.
MSS/18302: Manuscript containing copies of Rehuel Jessurun's Diálogo dos montes and Saul Levi Mortera's treatises. 17th century.
MSS/22090: Abraham Israel's Cancionero (Sephardic poetry book) composed in Gibraltar from 1761 to 1770.
MSS/9304: Manuscript entitled "Papeles históricos y eclesiásticos" (Historical and Ecclesiastical papers), containing information about a native from Madrid named Francisco, who, in the 1720s, was known as being "a rabbi" and whose house purportedly served as a "synagogue".
Sephardic communities are vital for the history of Spain. Some manuscripts in this collection relate to the history and Diaspora of those communities, such as the following:
MSS/5469: Hebrew Bible containing the Pentateuch, Haftarot of the Prophets and the five Megillot with the respective Masorah magna and parva. 13th century.
MSS/5456: Hebrew Bible containing the Pentateuch and Psalms (fragments). 13th/14th century.
MSS/5464: Hebrew Bible with commentaries by Rashi. 13th/14th century.
MSS/5458: Manuscript of Nachmanides's Ḥadẇši šabat. 14th century.
MSS/5454: 14th-century manuscript copy of David Kimhi's Seper ha šorašim.
MSS/10289: "Mostrador e enseñador de los turbanos": Maimonides's Dalālat al-ḥā'irīn translated into Spanish by Pedro de Toledo in 1432.
MSS/5474: Hebrew collection of Geometry treatises of several classic authors composed in the 14th or 15th century.
MSS/5459: Aristoteles' Nicomachean Ethics translated into Hebrew by Meir ben Solomon Alguadez. 15th century.
MSS/17812: Manuscript copy of Judah ha-Levi's Cuzari. 15th century.
MSS/5462: Samuel ibn Tibbon's translation of Maimonides's commentaries to the treatise ʼAbot and Chapter 10 of the Sanhedrín of Mishnah. 15th century.
MSS/18302: Manuscript containing copies of Rehuel Jessurun's Diálogo dos montes and Saul Levi Mortera's treatises. 17th century.
MSS/22090: Abraham Israel's Cancionero (Sephardic poetry book) composed in Gibraltar from 1761 to 1770.
MSS/9304: Manuscript entitled "Papeles históricos y eclesiásticos" (Historical and Ecclesiastical papers), containing information about a native from Madrid named Francisco, who, in the 1720s, was known as being "a rabbi" and whose house purportedly served as a "synagogue".
Archival history
The collection of manuscripts of the Biblioteca Nacional is the most important one in the Hispanic world. The library increased gradually as new books were added to its collection. Two particularly important incorporations took place: firstly, the 18th-century manuscripts brought by King Felipe V ( 1683-1746) from France, and secondly, the libraries of noble families that were seized in the War of Succession (1701-1713). Important purchases of particular libraries were made in the 19th and 20th centuries, such as those of Juan Nicolás Böhl of Faber (1770-1836), Agustín Durán (1789-1862) or Serafín Estébanez Calderón (1799-1867). In 1886, the acquisition of the library of the ducal house of Osuna e Infantado was of great relevance, as well as the acquisition of the library of Pascual of Gayangos (1809-1897). Also, in the 19th century, the decrees of confiscation of properties of churches and convents resulted in the entry of further collections, some with great value.
Administrative / Biographical history
The library was founded by King Felipe V ( 1683-1746) of Spain in 1712 as the Biblioteca Pública de Palacio (Palace Public Library). The Royal Letters Patent that followed the foundation made it mandatory for printers to submit a copy of every book printed in Spain to the library. In 1836, the library's status as Crown property was revoked, and ownership was transferred to the Ministerio de la Gobernación (Ministry of Governance). At the same time, it was renamed Biblioteca Nacional (National Library).
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access, restrictions
Numerous documents are available online:
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| I. S. Révah | Existence and location of originals | |
| France V. Scholes Papers | Existence and location of originals |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Biblioteca Nacional de España | Collections (official language of the state) |