basler

For the Baslers no town exists but their own: only Basel is "civilized," and north of the river Birs the land of the barbarians begins.

Central to this is the understanding that Burckhardt was first and foremost a Basler.

Although the bishop was nonresident, his officials and administrators still lived in Basel and staffed the episcopal courts. Their presence, in turn, provided employment for many Baslers and made the