[1] The word Burgrecht is first used by the St. Gall monk Notker the German in about 1000 AD to refer to the Roman civil law.
Later, in the southern German region, it came to refer to inheritance laws and the rights that were tied to specific castle or town.
The oath of citizenship with which the Burgrecht was sealed gave this agreement special weight in comparison to other alliances.
The Verburgrechteten (those covered by the Burgrecht agreement) were allowed to enjoy, often limited, citizenship privileges including military and court protection as well as market access.
The distribution of duties and rights in Burgrecht treaties reflects the power relationship between the parties.