Inquisição de Goa
Item
Country
BR
Name of institution (English)
National Library Foundation
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Av. Rio Branco 219, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20040-008
Contact information: phone number
0055 (21) 2220-9608
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
Reference number
Manuscritos - 25,01,009 (reference number)
Inquisição de Goa (Call number)
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Call number
Title (English)
Inquisition of Goa
Title (official language of the state)
Inquisição de Goa
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Inquisition of Goa
Date(s)
1564/1807
Language(s)
lat
por
Extent
9 books and 1,628 documents
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This fonds comprises documentation related to the activity of the Inquisition of Goa. It contains not only inquisitorial processes and related documentation but also information on the vast communication between that court and the Conselho Geral (General Council) of the Inquisition and the Inquisitor-General in Lisbon and documentation on its financial management and administration. The fonds includes correspondence, reports, receipts, by-laws, petitions, charters, provisions, information on the incomes of Inquisition's officers, records of confessions and sentences. It also includes information on the execution of papal briefs and theological debates on matters of faith.
Even though the Inquisition of Goa persecuted a very high number of non-Christian Asian groups (the so-called "gentis") as a reflection of the specificity of Portuguese colonialism in Asia, New Christians were often persecuted. Indeed, an inventory compiled in 1774 referred to 16,176 trials, with an average of about 75 convicts per year over 215 years. Most charges were related to accusations of crypto-Hinduism (44% of those convicted). Crypto-Islamism and crypto-Judaism represented 18% and 9% of the cases, respectively, and Protestantism 1.5% of cases.
Examples of cases related to New Christians accused of carrying out Jewish practices are the following:
25,1,002 no. 050; January 23, 1607: Instruction of the Bureau of the Conselho Geral (General Council) of the Inquisition about the trial of Isabel Mendes.
25,1,004 no. 060-061; October 10, 1633: Royal letter to the Viceroy of India advising him on vigilance over the behaviour of "Jews".
25,1,005 no. 065; March 16, 1693: Letter from the Bureau of the "Conselho Geral" (General Council) to the Inquisition in Goa, containing guidelines on how to proceed with the "autos da fé" (acts of faith, i.e. public spectacle through which the Inquisition announced the sentences) and those who were considered guilty on charges related to Judaism and Islamism.
25,1,006 no. 022; February 2, 1657: Royal order determining that people considered guilty of "Judaism" were expected to have their assets confiscated.
25,1,006 no. 227; October 1674: Instructions from Rome on the procedures of the Inquisition regarding accusations and charges against New Christians.
Even though the Inquisition of Goa persecuted a very high number of non-Christian Asian groups (the so-called "gentis") as a reflection of the specificity of Portuguese colonialism in Asia, New Christians were often persecuted. Indeed, an inventory compiled in 1774 referred to 16,176 trials, with an average of about 75 convicts per year over 215 years. Most charges were related to accusations of crypto-Hinduism (44% of those convicted). Crypto-Islamism and crypto-Judaism represented 18% and 9% of the cases, respectively, and Protestantism 1.5% of cases.
Examples of cases related to New Christians accused of carrying out Jewish practices are the following:
25,1,002 no. 050; January 23, 1607: Instruction of the Bureau of the Conselho Geral (General Council) of the Inquisition about the trial of Isabel Mendes.
25,1,004 no. 060-061; October 10, 1633: Royal letter to the Viceroy of India advising him on vigilance over the behaviour of "Jews".
25,1,005 no. 065; March 16, 1693: Letter from the Bureau of the "Conselho Geral" (General Council) to the Inquisition in Goa, containing guidelines on how to proceed with the "autos da fé" (acts of faith, i.e. public spectacle through which the Inquisition announced the sentences) and those who were considered guilty on charges related to Judaism and Islamism.
25,1,006 no. 022; February 2, 1657: Royal order determining that people considered guilty of "Judaism" were expected to have their assets confiscated.
25,1,006 no. 227; October 1674: Instructions from Rome on the procedures of the Inquisition regarding accusations and charges against New Christians.
Archival history
After the first extinction of the Inquisition of Goa in 1774, its archives were sent to Lisbon. However, they were returned when the court was reestablished in 1778. After the final extinction of the Inquisition of Goa in 1812, the Prince Regent of Portugal authorised the destruction of its archives on the condition that those parts "worthy of preservation" were kept. Thus, in 1814, massive parts of the old archives were burned publicly by civil authorities in one of the most extensive intentional burnings in history.
The part of the Inquisition of Goa fonds currently held in the National Library in Rio de Janeiro was transferred to Brazil after the Portuguese royal family moved there in 1808 during the Napoleonic invasion of Portugal.
The part of the Inquisition of Goa fonds currently held in the National Library in Rio de Janeiro was transferred to Brazil after the Portuguese royal family moved there in 1808 during the Napoleonic invasion of Portugal.
Sources:
Administrative / Biographical history
The Inquisition was established in Goa in 1560. It had jurisdiction over the territories of the so-called "Estado da Índia" (State of India), i.e. the territories in Asia and East Africa that were part of the Portuguese Empire. This Court was the most distant Inquisition Court from its metropolitan centre. Unlike most Iberian and American Courts, it had jurisdiction over discontinuous territories with no strong continental expression. Some of the fortresses and lands that it aimed to control were Sofala, Mozambique, and Mombasa in East Africa; Hormuz and Mascate in the Persian Gulf; Diu, Daman, Bassein and Chaul (known as the "praças do norte", literally Northern localities) in India; Goa, Bardez, and Salsete; some localities in Malabar (mainly Onor, Barcelore, Mangalore, Cochin, Cannanore, Cranganore, Kollam) and Coromandel (Nagappattinam, Mylapore); Ceylon and Malacca in Malaysia; Moluccas in Indonesia; Timor and Solor in the Sunda archipelago; and Macau in China.
Due to its extensive territorial jurisdiction, containing a population with many different political, religious, and cultural backgrounds, and the fact that the Portuguese never held absolute control over extensive territories in Asia, the typology of crimes this Court persecuted was the vastest of all early modern Inquisitorial Courts. Aside from the three major religious crimes well-known in Europe, namely crypto-Judaism, crypto-Islamism and Lutheranism, and a variety of other transgressions such as bigamy, solicitation, witchcraft, and others, the Inquisition of Goa also persecuted infractions specifically related to the region, such as those associated with Nestorianism and other Eastern churches established in India, and charges related to Hindu practices.
This Court functioned for two and a half centuries until its abolition in 1812, except for a brief four-year interruption (1774-1778). Its abolition occurred after the signing of the Anglo-Portuguese commercial treaty of 1810, which stipulated that any cult and religion would be tolerated in Goa and its dependencies. The final resolution occurred in June 1812, when the Prince Regent of Portugal decreed the final abolition of the Court.
Due to its extensive territorial jurisdiction, containing a population with many different political, religious, and cultural backgrounds, and the fact that the Portuguese never held absolute control over extensive territories in Asia, the typology of crimes this Court persecuted was the vastest of all early modern Inquisitorial Courts. Aside from the three major religious crimes well-known in Europe, namely crypto-Judaism, crypto-Islamism and Lutheranism, and a variety of other transgressions such as bigamy, solicitation, witchcraft, and others, the Inquisition of Goa also persecuted infractions specifically related to the region, such as those associated with Nestorianism and other Eastern churches established in India, and charges related to Hindu practices.
This Court functioned for two and a half centuries until its abolition in 1812, except for a brief four-year interruption (1774-1778). Its abolition occurred after the signing of the Anglo-Portuguese commercial treaty of 1810, which stipulated that any cult and religion would be tolerated in Goa and its dependencies. The final resolution occurred in June 1812, when the Prince Regent of Portugal decreed the final abolition of the Court.
Sources:
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
Numerous documentation is available online:
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023
Bibliography
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Manuscritos | Scope and content |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Fundação Biblioteca Nacional | Collections (official language of the state) |