Also 6 burgreve. [ad. Ger. burggraf, f. burg town, castle + graf count.] The governor of a town or castle; later, a noble ruling by hereditary right a town or castle, with the adjacent domain.
1550. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. 13. Foure dukes, four marquesses, four landgraues, four burgraues … were appoynted.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 435. They of the lowe and high Germanie … cal one ruler, Burgreve, another Margreve.
1684. Scanderbeg Rediv., ii. 23. The Burgraves of each City.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1841), IV. v. 459. The burgraves of Nuremburg.
1879. Baring-Gould, Germany, II. 247. The majority of gentry did not occupy their own castles, but lived in those of the princes, as burggraves or stewards.
Hence Burgraviate, the rank or office of burgrave.
1762. trans. Busching’s Syst. Geogr., IV. 50. The imperial land-judicatory of the burgraviate of Nurenberg.
