Burgher

Burger ( German: Bürger , from ancient-upper-German: burgari - city defenders) ^[1] - city dweller, citizen.

Evolution of value:

• In the Early Middle Ages - residents of a fortified settlement - “burga” ( German: Burg - fortress, castle, city) or who settled next to a fortified church , cathedral ( Latin cives, urbani, oppidani ; cf. lat. Burgenses ).

• In the High Middle Ages ( XII century - XIV century ) - free citizens of German cities with “ city ​​law ” (eg Lubeck law , Magdeburg law , Kulm law and others) - in contrast to subjects of feudal overlords ( feudal lords and kings ).

• In the New and Modern time :
  • in the process of formation of national states , and then the formation of civil society - citizens of the state ( German: Staatsbürger ), who have the rights ( German: Bürgerrecht ) fixed by laws ( Constitution ).
  • on the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ) after its conquest by Great Britain, the descendants of the Dutch and Portuguese who lived on the island were called burghers (Burgher) .

The derivative word “ Burgomaster ” ( German: Bürgermeister ) is “senior burgher,” the elder is the mayor of a city ​​or any settlement, including a village .