Burgrave
/ˈbɜːr.ɡreɪv/noun
A count or governor of a castle or fortified town in medieval Germany.
Did you know?Burgrave comes from Germanic feudal titles, and its second element is the same root behind English words like "grave" in the sense of an office or rank, not the burial pit.
Etymological Timeline
Early Middle High German
Gmh
burcgrâve
“castle count; lord in charge of a fortified place”
Middle High German
Gmh
burggraf
“fortress governor or hereditary castellan”
Late Medieval German
Gm
Burggraf
“title for the lord or governor of a castle district”
16th Century
English
burgrave
“a German noble or castle governor”
Modern English
English
burgrave
“a historical title used for a castle governor or count”