PORTVGALIAE Monumenta Historica. Olisipone. 1856-1977.

PORTVGALIAE Monumenta Historica. Olisipone. 1856-1977.
PORTVGALIAE Monumenta Historica. A saeculo octavo post christvm vsqve ad qvintvmdecimvm Ivssv Academiae Scientiarvm Olisiponensis Edita. Olisipone: Typis Academicis, 1856-1977.

21 v.; 420 mm.

A very important publication, the only one of its kind in Portugal, initiated by Alexandre Herculano who directed the publication until his death. In the extensive news that Brito Aranha left us, we can read the text of the entire project. Herculano proposed that "a collection of documents relating to the Social and political History of our country, from the 8th century to the end of the 15th" be published, divided into three main divisions: 1. Narrative Monuments, which would comprise all types of historical narratives, short and longer chronicles, obituaries, biographies, etc.; 2. Law, divided into three sections: 2.1. Laws and Civil Customary Law; 2.2. Local Laws and Customary Law, covering charters of municipalities, charters, municipal customs or postures, etc.; 2.3. Foreign laws and jurisprudence adopted as subsidiary law. 3.Diplomas and Public Acts 3.1. Public Acts belonging to the Government of the Kingdom; 3.2. Diplomas relating to Portugal's external relations; 3.3. Public Acts and Royal Diplomas relating to corporations or individuals: donations and other contracts, sentences, privileges, etc.; 3.4. Private acts and monuments. For this undertaking, he visited Herculano and other Academics, the Torre do Tombo Archive and other archives throughout the country and even abroad, gathering a huge amount of very important contemporary documents for the History of Portugal. After Herculano's death, the publication was directed by João Pedro da Costa, his disciple, who accompanied him on many trips and paleographic transcription work, being interrupted after his death in 1898, when the last series dedicated to the Inquisitions was published. The last three issues corresponding to this section were published in 1911, 1936 and, finally, in 1961, the first corresponding to the direction of Braamcamp Freire, the second by António Baião and the third by PM Laranjo Coelho. Thus, the publication ended up being composed as follows: I. Scriptores, 3 fasc., 1856-1861; II. Leges et Consuetudines, 7 fasc., 1856-1873; III. Diplomata et Chartae, 4 fasc., 1868-1873; IV. Inquisitions, 9 fasc. in 6 v., 1888-1977. Very rare when complete, important and valuable.