The guilds and later trading families were the city leadership. In the city I was born which was founded around 2000 years ago and got it's first major in the

The guilds and later trading families were the city leadership. In the city I was born which was founded around 2000 years ago and got it's first major in the 14th century, most of the majors back then there were guild masters (the city only later become a trading point). The city I currently live in got it's first major in the 13th century who was also a guild master.