Work Text:
• traditionally, the granting of a charter gives a settlement & its inhabitants the right to town-privileges under the feudal system
◦ a charter grants citizens (of a city/town) certain rights:
• the right to hold/own property inside the (city or town) walls
• the right to elect representatives/govern themselves,
• make laws, &
• raise taxes
◦ all of this is permitted to whatever extent by the (Westerosi) Lord or Lady that rules directly over them; a ruling Lord or Lady of the chartered town has the authority to veto a law proposed by the town-council, if he or she deems it unreasonable/it goes against the writ of the Iron Throne
◦ free towns are often governed by a town-council; though it should be noted that while citizens of a chartered town, especially wealthy guild-members & merchants, can & do wield considerable monetary & political influence (a.k.a. soft power), martial power (a.k.a. hard power) resides with the ruling Westerosi lords & ladies, who can raise their feudal levies when so inclined or commanded by their Overlord/ruling King/Queen
‣ unlike real-world Medieval town/city-charters, a Westerosi town-charter does not allow for its smallfolk inhabitants to raise a militia; (as mentioned above) only the Lord or Lady that directly oversees them & their town or city is lawfully permitted to raise their feudal levies
‣ (power gradually shifted from feudal lords to the rising class of merchants & craftspeople)
◦ townspeople who lived in chartered towns are (burghers?), as opposed to (serfs?) who lived in villages; commoners or smallfolk…
◦ guilds of merchants & craft-workers were formed, so that their members could benefit from mutual aid
◦ guilds ensure production-standards are maintained & that competition is reduced
◦ in addition, by members acting collectively, guilds achieve political influence