TAX ROLLS FOR THE TENTH PENNY OF 1543

The Tenth Penny tax of 1543 marks an important moment in the history of taxation. Constantly involved in wars, the Habsburg emperor Charles V sought to increase the flow of money to his coffers by rationalizing and centralizing the tax systems in his many territories, including his provinces in the Netherlands. A tax of 10%, the "Tenth Penny", was to be paid regularly to the central government by the inhabitants of Holland between 1543 and 1564, as part of a package of reforms.

These tax registers form a much-consulted source for local history, tax history and genealogy. The oldest tax roll in the series, that of 1543, is now available on microfiche. More than 300 communities are covered by this roll, which is part of the archive of the States of Holland (see MMF collection "Public Finance, Trade and State Formation: The Archive of the States of Holland, c. 1445-1572").