My question arises due to the fact that I have a small number of German ancestors who were either bailiffs or burgermeisters. I was hoping I could get some clarity on what that would have meant for their day to day existence.
There is a brilliant book by Steven Ozment called "The Burgermeister's Daughter: Scandal in a Sixteenth-Century German Town." The focus is primarily on the daughter--Anna Bueschler--and her relationship with a Cavalry officer. But it provides a unique and highly-textured window into life in 16th century Germany.