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At the University of Coimbra, Professor José Frederico Laranjo encouraged his students to write the history of municipalities according to a scheme that included chapters on origins and development, population, industries, the Misericórdia, confraternities and charitable institutions, associations, and credit institutions (cf. Vantagens do estudo das monografias locais para o conhecimento da história geral portuguesa, [Advantages of the study of local monographs for the knowledge of general Portuguese history] 1926, p. 15). This resulted in at least two published monographs: one on the municipality of Serpa (José Maria da Graça Afreixo, 1884) and another on Mesão-Frio (Álvaro Maria de Fornelos, 1886). These efforts contributed to a concept of local monography that typically encompassed various topographical, geographical, historical, archaeological, economic, artistic, and cultural aspects, allowing for a comprehensive overview of the territory and the life of its inhabitants. Armando Malheiro da Silva refers to this as a "contemporary-type monography," characterised by the diversity of approaches in focus, but also by the "love for the land and the praise of its virtues" (O Minho nas monografias (sécs. XIX-XX) [(Minho in monographs (19th-20th centuries)]), 1991-92, p. 30). The most successful works naturally involved consulting archives and gathering documents to support their narratives, especially regarding history. Within the context of 19th-century regional studies and their progress in the final decades of the century, the ethnographic works that significantly expanded during this period and became closely intertwined with history cannot be overlooked. This interest may be traced back to the romantic fascination with studying the traditions and customs of peoples, which were later developed within positivist sociological frameworks, particularly highlighted by Teófilo Braga’s (1843-1924) work on O povo português nos seus costumes, crenças e tradições [The Portuguese people in their customs, beliefs and traditions](2 vols., 1885). In the field of literary history, collections and studies on popular songbooks and traditional Portuguese tales were published, resulting from research conducted in various regions of the country.
