In medieval law in the Holy Roman Empire, the term Burglehn described two things: The burgmannnen were given these houses by their lords as part of their remuneration as well as a feud.
There were frequent disputes between the people of the burglehn and the adjacent town, about whether the inhabitants of these houses could exercise crafts that were otherwise regulated by the town's guilds.
The burglehn began to be dissolved and placed under the local government in the 17th century.
Some burglehns lasted much longer than the associated castles, which had often lost their military significance.
Even today in some towns and cities a street name refers to the location of the former burglehns.