Etymologically, the word burgrave is the English and French form of the
German noble title
Burggraf (compounded from
Burg:
castle,
fortress or equally
fortified town and
Graf: count The feminine form is burgravine, in German
Burggräfin (from Middle High German
burcgrâvin). From the early
High Middle Ages, the German
Burggraf (burgrave) was the military governor or commander of a castle, In the mid-12th century, King
Conrad III of Germany created a new quality for the title of burgrave during the
German eastward colonization. They became protectors and administrators of extensive royal territories near major imperial castles, such as
Meissen,
Altenburg and
Leisnig, and received "judicial lordship" (German:
Gerichtsherrschaft Like other officials of the
feudal state, some burgraves became hereditary rulers. There were four
hereditary burgraviates ranking as
principalities within the Holy Roman Empire, plus the burgraviate of
Meissen: •
The Burgraviate of Antwerp (in present-day Belgium): this was a title inherited from the
Margraviate of Antwerp by the Counts of
Nassau, lords of
Breda, who later became the title
Prince of Orange. The most famous holder was
William the Silent, who used his influence over the city to control its local government and use it as a base for the
Dutch Revolt. Subsequently in the
Low Countries, the rank of
burggraaf evolved into the nobility synonymous with
viscount. The title "Viscount of Antwerp" is still claimed by the reigning
monarch of the Netherlands as one of its subsidiary titles. •
The Burgraviate of Magdeburg, •
The Burgraviate of Friedberg, •
The Burgraviate of Meissen, •
The Burgraviate of Nuremberg: established by King
Conrad III of Germany, the first burgraves were from the Austrian counts of
Raabs, and then passed to the count's surviving son-in-law from the
House of Hohenzollern, which, since
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, continued to hold it until 1801. It was still included among the subsidiary titles of several German semi-sovereign princes; the king of
Prussia, whose ancestors were burgraves of
Nuremberg for over 200 years, maintaining the additional style of
Burggraf von Nürnberg. the office became known as the high or supreme burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia (Czech: ''''); the appointment was usually for life. After the reforms of
Maria Theresa (reign 1740–1780) and her son
Joseph II (reign 1780–1790), the title of highest burgrave gradually lost its de facto power. The title of highest burgrave was still granted, however, and its holder remained the first officer of the kingdom. It was abolished in 1848.
Poland In the
Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, the burgrave (Polish:
burgrabia, earlier also
murgrabia) was also of
senatorial rank (i.e. held a seat in the
upper chamber of the
Senate of Poland). Ranking first among them was the "Burgrave of
Kraków" (Polish:
Burgrabia krakowski) of the former capital of Poland and
Wawel Castle, who was appointed directly by the
King of Poland. The royal office was originally created during the reign of
Casimir III the Great. At that time, Kraków's burgrave was also
chief judge of the supreme court of
Magdeburg law (Polish:
Sąd wyższy prawa niemieckiego) erected in Kraków in lieu of
Magdeburg. The burgrave of Kraków also collected an income from the royal
Wieliczka Salt Mine, run by the Royal Salt Mines company
Żupy krakowskie since the 13th century.
Prussia In the
Kingdom of Prussia, the burgrave was one of the four chief officers of a
province, delegated by the
King of Prussia.
England and France In Anglo-French parlance, a burgrave was considered analogous to a
viscount. == See also ==