Burgher
A relatively new social class, Burghers are generally townfolk who live and work in the many towns and cities. Found amongst their ranks are merchants, traders, artisans, labourers, Rat Catchers, watchmen and minor and middle government officials.[1][2a] Many are middle class and lead relatively humble but still respectable lives. [2b] Burgers a growing class of citizens with both time and money at their disposal. [2c]
Society of Old World is highly stratified — common folk are in little doubt as to their place in the society whilst the elite enjoy power and prestige that is brutally enforced and mostly largely unchallenged. [2b] Nobles tend to look down upon burghers, often dismissing and despising them as upstarted peasants. However the most successful and wealthy burghers are sometimes more powerful than many impoverished nobles, something which only infuriates these even further. Some burghers are even able to marry into poor noble families.[1]
Burghers are ruling class in Marienburg and the city states of Tilea. They are also relatively important in The Empire. Bretonnia doesn't seem to have many of them and they seem to be much less important.[1][4]
Burgomeisters
Burgomeisters are the elected municipal leaders of the mercantile classes and other wealthy citizens.[3] They often enjoy the same social status as Merchant Princes and Guildmasters. [2c]
During the civil wars of the Empire, many cities had to begin to look into their own affairs. The cities not destroyed became prosperous under the leadership of Burgomeisters. They soon began to construct their own fortifications and recruit standing armies, effectively becoming independent of their surrounding provinces. Even after the unification of the Empire, the Burgomeisters rule the cities and are responsible for raising armies in the same way like the Elector Counts of the provinces. [3][4]
The most important city-states of the Empire are Altdorf, Nuln, Talabheim and Middenheim.[4]
Gallery
Imperial Citizens
Arabyan Merchant
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (2nd Edition), pg. 35
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)
- 3: Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 42
- 4: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition), pgs. 9, 20, 21
