Burgher (Boor-gar)

Burghers are Hainish merchants and master artisans, urban elites raised into the lower nobility. Burghers are essential to the operation of Hain's city and town centers, providing essential services for Hainish manufacturing and city infrastructure in exchange for special rights to rule over common artisans. 
Burghers are vassals of Junkers, or city-lords. They are an odd brand of pseudo-noble, straddling Hainish contradictions and incosistencies. They are legally gentry and the legal system tries to pretend that they are lower landowners, but they are extremely mobile and commercial in a way that doesn't really match Hainish legal expectations. Socially, Burghers are simultaneously praised and reviled by the nobility and commonfolk alike - and Burghers who end up purchasing real estate provoke particular confusion.
Burgher titles are typically hereditary, but they have fewer protections against revocation than other nobles.

Type

Nobility, Honorific / Ceremonial

Reports directly to

Junker

Related Locations

• Stildane

Related Organizations

• The Kingdom of Hain