Memory and legacy of Sesnando Davides – problems and doubts about the Consul of Coimbra in the documents 16, 28, 101 and 478 of the Livro preto da sé de Coimbra

Abstract

Sesnando Davides, consul and governor of Coimbra in the 11th century, is still a figure shrouded in mystery, since several aspects of his life are still to uncover. In this study we will address diverse issues, such as the consul’s provenance, his presence in al-Mu’tadid's Court in Seville and the record of this event in Christian documentation, the comparison between some of the documents of the Livro Preto da Sé de Coimbra – namely documents Nos. 16, 28, 49 and 578 – and the part of the Crónica Silense about Coimbra, and finally, the political and religious divergences between the consul and the Mozarabs of Coimbra and the Order of Cluny.

The comparative analysis between the chronicle dedicated to king Alfonso VI and the cartulary of the Sé of Coimbra about Sesnando Davides raises some important questions about its production and objectives, as both offer relatively similar information. We will also look hard at some details concerning the organization of the Sesnandine Council in the region of Coimbra and its broader objectives.