The Republic of Goslar

The Republic of Goslar is a German Realm created in 1010 after the period of civil war that saw the destruction of the Ottonid Empire and the constitution of the Popular Diet of Goslar and the creation of the “Rammelsberg guild”. In 1027, the Republic joined the Great German League along with the Alpen Republic and the Duchy of Krakenstein.



The town of Goslar emerged from one of these settlements on the northern edge of the Harz Mountains, founded in AD 922 in the reign of Henry I of East Francia (Henry the Fowler), according to Saxon tradition. The first written record, for Otto II, does not appear until 979. In 934, it is likely that a royal castle was built on the hill of the Georgenberg and, from 968, the mining industry at Rammelsberg was developed. The mineworkers need for this industry lived in Bergedorf around the church of St. John. The embossed silver Otto Adelheid pennies made of Goslar silver are the first tangible evidence of the mining industry. The onset of metallurgy around 990 required professional tradesmen who were distinguished from the native Saxons as "Franks" and settle on the so-called Frankenberg.

During the dislocation of the Ottonid Empire and of East Francia, the merchants, long-range traders, wealthy artisans and landowners united to form the “Goslar Town Council” (Stadtrat) while the mines workers managed to form the Rammelsberg Guild.

In 1011, the Rammelsberg Guild is officially dissolved and replaced by the “Rammelsberg District Council”. The Stadtrat is divided between the three Districts : Georgenberg, Frankenberg, and Rammelsberg, while the city’s bishop serve as an arbiter during debates and disputes between the members of the Council.

In 1012, the militias that defended the city were reforms and replaced with the “Town’s Guard”. The Town’s guard is led by a Military Tribune. The Town’s guard re-occupied the castles of Hartesburg to the east, and of the old Imperial Castle of Werla to the north.

After riots from the poorer population of the city, who couldn’t pay for the fee needed to siege at the Stadtrat, another post of Tribuns,  “of the plebs”, is created in 1015 to act as a representative of the “populace”.

12 years later, Goslar join the German League, sending as a representative and elector to its diet, titled Legate of Goslar.



The Legislative body of the republic is the Stadtrat, which represent the three districts of the city-state. There’s 99 representatives for each districts, Georgenberg, Frankenberg, and Rammelsberg, and these 297 individuals gather in the Town Hall, while the new House of the Stadtrat is still in construction.

To be a representative or an elector, one needs to be a citizen and to pay a relatively heavy annual fee to the Stadtrat. To represent citizens who can’t afford this fee, the post of Tribune was created. The Bishop also has a siege at the Stadtrat and can serve as an arbiter in case of dispute.

Executive powers are shared by multiple magistrates who rule the administration of the city. The Military Tribune is in charge of the town’s army and of law enforcement, the Censor and his Censorate are in charge of the census and of taxes, the Ädil control the possessions of the city and the Qästur, its finances. The Stadtrat however, is the one voting the budgets and who decides selling or buying new properties.