The developments of urban towns also created a new class of people — the burghers (from the German word Burgh or Fortress) — who were entirely outside the feudal system. This gave them the capability to transform the community.
The burgers gained charters from the kings which they then used to free themselves from the remaining forces of the feudal system and allowed them to govern themselves which greatly increased personal independence. Since trade centred on the public centre, the cities themselves accumulated large sums of cash which were then used to build colleges and churches.
As a result of these developments, the traditional methods such as feudalism, champions, noblemen, and feudal obligations were tunnelled and new systems grew to replace them — universities, guilds, cities, trade, and cathedrals.
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