The City Council

Each city was governed by a council consisting of a mayor and aldermen, in Brätte's case around 10 trusted citizens. These met in the council house where they decided on taxes, who would be allowed to live and work in the city and which officials would be employed. The council was also the city's court where criminal cases, disputes, contracts and real estate transactions could be heard. The basement of Brätte's city hall probably housed the detention centre where accused awaited their verdict.

Through the council, the city was placed under the law and was to guarantee legal certainty for the residents at the same time as it was to ensure that the laws of the kingdom were followed. To assist the council, there was a legally knowledgeable law reader. Among the officials employed by the council were customs officers, bookkeepers, scribes, city bailiffs, guards, fiddlers and more.