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Burgrave, also rendered as burggrave[1][2] (from German: Burggraf [ˈbʊʁkˌɡʁaːf] ,[1] Latin: burgravius, burggravius, burcgravius, burgicomes, also praefectus), was since the medieval period in Europe (mainly Germany) the official title for the ruler of a castle, especially a royal or episcopal castle, and its territory called a Burgraviate or Burgravate (German Burggrafschaft also Burggrafthum, Latin praefectura).[1][3][4]
The burgrave was a "count" in rank (German Graf, Latin comes)[2] equipped with judicial powers,[3][4] under the direct authority of the emperor or king, or of a territorial imperial state—a prince-bishop or territorial lord. The responsibilities were administrative, military and jurisdictional.
A burgrave, who ruled over a substantially large territory, might also have possessed the regality of coinage, and could mint his own regional coins (see silver bracteates).
- ^ a b c Ebers, Johann (1796). The New and Complete Dictionary of the German and English Languages (in German and English). Vol. 1. Leipzig: Breitkopf and Haertel. pp. 502–503.
- ^ a b Ebers, Abraham Rees (1819). The Cyclopædia: Or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature. Vol. V. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown etc. Burggrave.
- ^ a b Encyclopædia Britannica; Definition of burgrave (title). [1]
- ^ a b Duden; Definition of Burggraf (in German). [2]