Káldy–Nagy Gyula: A budai szandzsák 1546–1590. évi összeírásai. Demográfiai és gazdaságtörténeti adatok - Pest Megye Múltjából 6. (Budapest, 1985)

Introduction

INTRODUCTION Demographic and econo-historical data contained in the 16th century censuses of the sanjak of Buda The taking of the sanjak-censuses was one of the most important tasks of the administrative arm of the Turkish treasury in the 16th century. This is how they took account of the towns and villages with their pusztas (farmsteads) within the smaller administrative units (nahiye) of the sanjak, to register the inhabitants by name and establish the amounts of taxes and tenths collectible from them. These registers of the inhabitants' dues, i.e. of the expected income of the treasury, were the fundamental records, without which no determination could be made as to which settlements should serve the national coffers through direct taxation as khass-properties, and which should be classified as timar or ziamet-property, contributing indirectly by providing the administration's remuneration in kind, in lieu of cash payments. There are three extant copies of the first census of the sanjak of Buda, and although none of them are dated, on the basis of certain entries and some additional information it can be established that it was taken in 1546. The Turks often referred to this first census, taken by Halil beg, in the course of Hungarian border disputes, although subsequently they conducted several registrations of the inhabitants of the occupied territories. These repeated registrations were necessitated by possible changes in population density, or in agricultural production, i.e. in the expected income of the treasury, rather than by changes in the border arrangements. This is well illustrated by one of the Sultan's instructions sent to the beglerbeg of Buda in May 1579: ,,In your letter you stated that some of Buda's bordersanjaks have started flourishing, as many pusztas have become villages. On the other hand, the inhabitants of some villages have fled from the giaours' attacks, and these villages have become pusztas. Their census therefore is necessary."

1 As far as we know, censuses of the sanjak of Buda were taken in 1546, 1559, 1562, 1570, 1580, 1590, and 1613. Of the seven censuses there are no extant copies of the ones of 1570 and 1613. In connection with the last one, it is important to note that in the 17th century, when the administrative—apparatus of the Ottoman Empire began to loosen, no more censuses were taken in Hungary. Accordingly, not even the 1613 census was based on current data; they simply copied the 1590 figures. The Turkish treasury1. Istanbul, Basbakanlik Arsivi, Mühimme Defterleri Bd. 36., 253. 28