Zoll und Gleits-Taffel des Fuerstlichen Saechsischen Eisenachischen Haupts- und Bey-Gleiter.

(GERMANY).

Michael Urban

Eisenach

1714

Elaborate woodcut of coat-of-arms and initial letters on title page.

Issued by Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Sachsen-Eisenach (1666-1729), this customs-table lists groups of goods in alphabetical order with the corresponding duties according to quantity. Especially degrading among the extensive list of goods such as spices, cattle, metal, textiles, etc. is the entry “Juden” noted under the letter “J.” The lists otherwise consist exclusively of goods and lacks mention of any other groups of travelers or traders. Yet Jews who cross into Sachsen-Eisenach must pay a border fee of one groschen, Jews who trade at the fairs are to pay one florin and those Jews who remain overnight and trade are charged twelve groschen. A footnote under a diverse group of goods listed under the letter “A” (including anise, raisins, cheese, honey, rugs, furs, small metal objects and paper) requires Jews trading in these goods to pay a double duty. The duchy of Sachsen-Eisenach consisted of areas which are now located in Thueringen. The actual territories included in the duchy changed with each generation, but always with the town of Eisenach as the core. Its lands were divided whenever dukes had more than one son to provide for, and recombined when the duke died without direct heirs.