Burgmann

As Burgmann (Latin oppidanus ) were in Central Europe since the 12th century knightly ministry officials and members of the aristocracy called, who were in charge of a castle lord with the so-called Burghut, that is, who had to guard a castle and defend it. Usually several Burgmannen sat in a castle or in their vicinity, and formed the Castle team. They were under the lord of the castle or a fortress commander nominated by him, the (Latin castellanus ) led often also the title of viscount. As for the Burgmann usually a special Burgmann law, similar to the feudal law was, litigation in this very viscount were negotiated. In its task, the noble castle team was often supported by nichtritterlichem and nichtadligem staff as goalkeepers and colonnes.

Originally, the Burgmann was paid for his service in addition to a befitting apartment in kind. His contract was initially quite callable. Later he received as a reward a vererbares Burglehn, which was paid more frequently than specified sum of money from the late 13th century ( around 1300 in the order 5 - 10 marks a year, which corresponded to the time roughly the annual income derived 5-10 farming estates ).

Since the 13th century, the rights and obligations of the castle 's were governed by a written contract Burgmann. He laid next to the location and the times in which a Burgmann had to be present at the castle, sometimes the necessary arms and equipment fixed. The obligation to presence - called Residenzpflicht - conditional that the lord had to provide free of charge a resident within the castle or at least in the immediate vicinity of its available Burgmannen. Such residential opportunity Burgmann seat, Burggut or Burgmannshof was called.

The permanent residence requirement Burgmannen escaped later more and more frequently by the position of armed servants. With the introduction of such commoner Castle crews and the change from castles to fortresses in the late Middle Ages, the Burgmann system disappeared and the Burghut was perceived by soldiers and mercenaries. The inheritable Burgmann had seats but also in the early modern period still a substantial importance for the social distinction and economic base ( tax-free ) down their aristocratic landlords.