Câmara Municipal
Item
Country
BR
Name of institution (English)
Municipal Historical Archive of Salvador
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Fundação Gregório de Mattos, Rua Chile 31, 40020-000 Salvador
Contact information: phone number
0055 (71)33221486
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
arqhis@salvador.ba.gov.br
Title (English)
City Council
Title (official language of the state)
Câmara Municipal
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
City Council of Salvador
Date(s)
1624/1979
Language(s)
por
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Câmara Municipal (City Council) fonds contains information relating to the local governance of Salvador in Brazil. It includes documents of various types, such as correspondence, decrees, edicts, and information on taxes and regulations of different aspects of Salvador. It also contains numerous documents relating to the Portuguese authority during the colonial period, including letters and decrees sent from different institutions settled in Lisbon.
Some decisions made by the city council concern certain members of the New Christian community in Salvador, such as the following examples:
Atas da Câmara, livro terceiro, fols. 99-108; April 23, 1638: The city council contracted a loan to finance the constitution of an army to fight off the Dutch invasion. Among the 178 wealthy residents who loaned the amount of 3,577$000, at least 27 were New Christians, giving 613$000. Published in Atas da Câmara Municipal de Salvador, vol. I, 358-365.
Atas da Câmara, livro terceiro, fols. 187v-190; October 24, 1639: Record of the collection of a contribution in Salvador. Of the 104 contributors, 23 were New Christians. Published in Atas da Câmara Municipal de Salvador, vol. I, 418-419.
Atas da Câmara, livro terceiro, fols. 165-179; June 8, 1639: Mateus Lopes Franco, a New Christian, was appointed, with other members of the Bahia social elite, to coordinate the collection of a donation to support the royal efforts to fight the Dutch. Published in Atas da Câmara Municipal de Salvador, vol. I, 418-419.
Lopes Franco is one of the several New Christians in Salvador, identified by Anita Novinsky by researching documents from this collection. Some others who held royal-appointed positions are Álvaro Sanches (clerk of the chancellery), António Marques, ("almotacel", inspector of weights and measures], António Rodrigues Porto (bailiff), Baltazar Machado de Faria (solicitor of the city council), Belchior Rodrigues (clerk of the customs), Diogo de Albuquerque (bailiff), Diogo Moniz Teles (ordinary judge of the city council), Gonçalo Homem de Almeida (ombudsman in Rio de Janeiro, lawyer and officer of the city council), Gonçalo Francisco ("almocatel"), João Serrão ("almotacel"), Jorge Lopes da Costa (prosecutor of the city council), Nicolau Botelho (captain and bailiff), and Rui de Carvalho Pinheiro (sergeant-major and clerk of the council). Other New Christians were directly connected to the local governance, such as Diogo Lopes Ulhoa, Álvaro Rodrigues de Menezes, Diogo da Costa Carvalho, Antônio Gomes Pessoa, Antônio Simões de Castro, Belchior Rodrigues Ribeiro, Belchior Vaz Mentola, Bento da Silva Bravo, Antônio Mendes de Oliveira, Diogo de Leão, Diogo Lopes Franco, Diogo Nunes Fontes, Domingos Alvarez de Serpa, Duarte Alvarez Ribeiro, Duarte Rodrigues Ulhoa, João da Costa, Luiz Vaz, Manoel Vaz Gusmão, Lopo Rodrigues Ulhoa, Jorge Dias Brandão, Rodrigo Aires Brandão, and Vicente Rodrigues de Souza. See Novinsky (1972).
Some decisions made by the city council concern certain members of the New Christian community in Salvador, such as the following examples:
Atas da Câmara, livro terceiro, fols. 99-108; April 23, 1638: The city council contracted a loan to finance the constitution of an army to fight off the Dutch invasion. Among the 178 wealthy residents who loaned the amount of 3,577$000, at least 27 were New Christians, giving 613$000. Published in Atas da Câmara Municipal de Salvador, vol. I, 358-365.
Atas da Câmara, livro terceiro, fols. 187v-190; October 24, 1639: Record of the collection of a contribution in Salvador. Of the 104 contributors, 23 were New Christians. Published in Atas da Câmara Municipal de Salvador, vol. I, 418-419.
Atas da Câmara, livro terceiro, fols. 165-179; June 8, 1639: Mateus Lopes Franco, a New Christian, was appointed, with other members of the Bahia social elite, to coordinate the collection of a donation to support the royal efforts to fight the Dutch. Published in Atas da Câmara Municipal de Salvador, vol. I, 418-419.
Lopes Franco is one of the several New Christians in Salvador, identified by Anita Novinsky by researching documents from this collection. Some others who held royal-appointed positions are Álvaro Sanches (clerk of the chancellery), António Marques, ("almotacel", inspector of weights and measures], António Rodrigues Porto (bailiff), Baltazar Machado de Faria (solicitor of the city council), Belchior Rodrigues (clerk of the customs), Diogo de Albuquerque (bailiff), Diogo Moniz Teles (ordinary judge of the city council), Gonçalo Homem de Almeida (ombudsman in Rio de Janeiro, lawyer and officer of the city council), Gonçalo Francisco ("almocatel"), João Serrão ("almotacel"), Jorge Lopes da Costa (prosecutor of the city council), Nicolau Botelho (captain and bailiff), and Rui de Carvalho Pinheiro (sergeant-major and clerk of the council). Other New Christians were directly connected to the local governance, such as Diogo Lopes Ulhoa, Álvaro Rodrigues de Menezes, Diogo da Costa Carvalho, Antônio Gomes Pessoa, Antônio Simões de Castro, Belchior Rodrigues Ribeiro, Belchior Vaz Mentola, Bento da Silva Bravo, Antônio Mendes de Oliveira, Diogo de Leão, Diogo Lopes Franco, Diogo Nunes Fontes, Domingos Alvarez de Serpa, Duarte Alvarez Ribeiro, Duarte Rodrigues Ulhoa, João da Costa, Luiz Vaz, Manoel Vaz Gusmão, Lopo Rodrigues Ulhoa, Jorge Dias Brandão, Rodrigo Aires Brandão, and Vicente Rodrigues de Souza. See Novinsky (1972).
Archival history
Before the first Brazilian Constitution (1824), city councils were critical institutions in the governance of Brazilian cities, accumulating executive and legislative functions.
The regular activity of the city councils generated the documents that gave origin to the municipal archives.
At the time of the Proclamation of the Brazilian Republic in 1894, the archive of Salvador became subordinated to the Secretaria de Expediente da Intendência (Secretariat of the Intendency). After the extinction of the Intendency in 1929 and the creation of the Prefeitura Municipal (Municipal Prefecture), the Municipal Archive was placed under the rule of the Mayor's Office.
In 1986, it was renamed Arquivo Histórico Municipal de Salvador (Municipal Historical Archive of Salvador) and integrated into the Fundação Gregório de Mattos (Gregório de Mattos Foundation) in terms of management.
In 2009, the Municipal Historical Archive of Salvador, together with municipal museums and libraries, were placed under the management of the Gerência de Arquivo Histórico Municipal, Museus e Bibliotecas (Management of the Municipal Historical Archive, Museums and Libraries).
The regular activity of the city councils generated the documents that gave origin to the municipal archives.
At the time of the Proclamation of the Brazilian Republic in 1894, the archive of Salvador became subordinated to the Secretaria de Expediente da Intendência (Secretariat of the Intendency). After the extinction of the Intendency in 1929 and the creation of the Prefeitura Municipal (Municipal Prefecture), the Municipal Archive was placed under the rule of the Mayor's Office.
In 1986, it was renamed Arquivo Histórico Municipal de Salvador (Municipal Historical Archive of Salvador) and integrated into the Fundação Gregório de Mattos (Gregório de Mattos Foundation) in terms of management.
In 2009, the Municipal Historical Archive of Salvador, together with municipal museums and libraries, were placed under the management of the Gerência de Arquivo Histórico Municipal, Museus e Bibliotecas (Management of the Municipal Historical Archive, Museums and Libraries).
Administrative / Biographical history
In the 15th century, the region where the city of Salvador was settled was inhabited by the Tupinambás. In 1501, the Portuguese formally started the installation of a new settlement there. In 1534, the captaincy of Bahia de Todos os Santos was donated to Francisco Pereira Coutinho. After his death, King João III of Portugal appointed Tomé de Souza to the office of Governor of Brazil in 1548, aiming to increase the level of control over the territory. Tomé de Souza landed in Porto da Barra on March 29, 1549, and a new phase of development for the city of Salvador began.
In the following decades, Salvador became one of the main cities in America. Although, in 1624, it was invaded by the Dutch and reconquered by the Portuguese in the following year.
In 1763, the capital of the state of Brazil was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. Salvador remained the largest city in Portuguese America until the beginning of the 19th century.
In the 19th century, new construction projects began in the Bahia region, which also transformed Salvador. At the end of the century, the city began its decadence, being overtaken by São Paulo and, at the beginning of the 20th century, by Recife.
In the following decades, Salvador became one of the main cities in America. Although, in 1624, it was invaded by the Dutch and reconquered by the Portuguese in the following year.
In 1763, the capital of the state of Brazil was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. Salvador remained the largest city in Portuguese America until the beginning of the 19th century.
In the 19th century, new construction projects began in the Bahia region, which also transformed Salvador. At the end of the century, the city began its decadence, being overtaken by São Paulo and, at the beginning of the 20th century, by Recife.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Histórico Municipal de Salvador | Collections (official language of the state) |