27

It seems to me that in order to not only found, but create a school from the ground up, the founders of Hogwarts would need to have some investment capital.

For 4 people to do this, they'd either need help from the government on funding, or be able to fund the endeavor themselves.

Since Godric Griffindor purchased a goblin made sword from the king of goblins himself (OOP), we can assume he's extraordinarily wealthy, as goblin made items are of the highest quality.

My question is 2 part:

  • Did the founders of Hogwarts have investors for the school?
  • How wealthy were the founders in general?
Improve this question
7
  • 19
    I would assume being a highly skilled wizard in the (presumably) tenth century would make it quite easy to get filthy rich. Not necessarily in the most moral of manners; but easy.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Mar 1, 2016 at 17:03
  • 4
    The founders got investors via the publicly traded "Hogwarts Education Group" (WART on the FTSE)
    – user11521
    Mar 1, 2016 at 20:29
  • 2
    "Investment capital" implies an expected return on investment. A school that's freely open to the public (or, at least, to all members of the public who meet a certain criteria that has nothing to do with wealth) and does not, so far as we know, charge tuition, is not a profit-making enterprise.
    – Mason Wheeler
    Mar 1, 2016 at 20:37
  • 2
    "not only found, but create... from the ground up" Er, "found" means "create from the ground up".
    – David Richerby
    Mar 2, 2016 at 7:03
  • 4
    @DavidRicherby I think he means "found" and in "found a school", and "create" as in "build the castle" - these are two different things, and I imagine that founding a school in an existing building is a lot cheaper than building the school (building) from the group up
    – Benubird
    Mar 2, 2016 at 10:42

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
39

Hogwarts is located in the Scottish Highlands and was founded a little more than 1000 years ago. [1]

It's seriously anachronistic to talk about "capital" or "investors" in the Scottish Highlands c. 900 AD. At the time, it was primordial forest. Almost nobody lived there -- at least, nobody human. The nearest human population centres were hundreds of miles away and had a subsistence feudal economy. Never mind how the construction of Hogwarts was funded, it's a complete mystery who might have been available to do the work.

However, all this may be beside the point. The founders of Hogwarts were wizards and witches of legendary power. Who is to say that they didn't create the whole castle by magic?

[1] I believe our only canonical dating of Hogwarts's founding is medieval, slightly over a thousand years before 1992. (Cos9, FW, GoF12), Please do not quote HP wiki as a primary source.
-- From ibid's comment, since comments can (and do) disappear.

Improve this answer
8
  • 12
    I +1'd because there is a good point to be made about how we project our modern ideas back on history. However, capital is just an abstract notion of resources. The school was founded, which requires resources. Where did the resources come from?
    – indigochild
    Mar 1, 2016 at 17:20
  • Good question, but I doubt there's a canon answer. Probably not Muggles, because there weren't any in that time and place. A really good magic spell? An army of house elves? Who knows?
    – Royal Canadian Bandit
    Mar 1, 2016 at 17:36
  • @RoyalCanadianBandit ,the probability of house elves army is very less because they were very well treated at Hogwarts by Helga Hufflepuff. She was very much concerned for them and she turned Hogwarts as a refuge for them.
    – axelonet
    Mar 1, 2016 at 17:49
  • 12
    I would also note that just because Hogwarts was funded in 933 AD does not necessarily mean that the castle was built (or fully built) at that time. It may have grown over time. I would point to the evolution of the Mont Saint Michel as an example of an impressive (today) structure which started from much humbler origins.
    – Matthieu M.
    Mar 1, 2016 at 19:48
  • 11
    At the time, it was primordial forest. That's what we wanted the muggles of the time to think!
    – user11521
    Mar 1, 2016 at 20:31
20

The founders of Hogwarts had funds from different people but did not have funding from any form of government.

The Wizard card of Helga Hufflepuff as per old JKR website is a as follows,

"[s]he brought people from different walks of life together to help build Hogwarts and was loved for her charming ways."

As per the establishment of Ministry of Magic, it is termed as 1707 in pottermore

The Ministry of Magic was formally established in 1707 with the appointment of the very first man to hold the title 'Minister for Magic', Ulick Gamp.
Prior to 1707, the Wizards' Council was the longest serving (though not the only) body to govern the magical community in Britain. After the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1692, however, the wizarding community needed a more highly structured, organized and more complex governing structure than they had hitherto used, to support, regulate and communicate with a community in hiding. Only witches and wizards who enjoyed the title of 'Minister for Magic' are included in this entry.

The establishment of The Wizards Council is unclear but it was not mentioned before 1269 anywhere, so we can assume it is not yet formed during the establishment of Hogwarts, which was in/before 933

The Wizards' Council was the predecessor to the Ministry of Magic (FBx). Barberus Bragge was the Chief of the Council in 1269.

The establishment of Hogwarts was due to the growing mistrust on the part of muggles. So, the founders wouldn't ask the muggle government for soft-funding.

Also, the history of Britain during the establishment of Hogwarts is very disturbed because of Viking invasions, we can assume that during this war between Alfred of Wessex and Vikings, the wizards of England region felt threatened and started moving into secrecy.

Late in the 8th cent., and with increasing severity until the middle of the 9th cent., raiding Vikings (known in English history as Danes) harassed coastal England and finally, in 865, launched a full-scale invasion. They were first effectively checked by King Alfred of Wessex and were with great difficulty confined to the Danelaw, where their leaders divided land among the soldiers for settlement. Alfred's successors conquered the Danelaw to form a united England, but new Danish invasions late in the 10th cent. overcame ineffective resistance . The Dane Canute ruled all England by 1016. At the expiration of the Scandinavian line in 1042, the Wessex dynasty (see Edward the Confessor) regained the throne. The conquest of England in 1066 by William, duke of Normandy (William I of England), ended the Anglo-Saxon period.

Improve this answer
4
  • 4
    Your first sentence is rather contradictory now (“There is canonical information, but we can have a brief idea from canon”). When you become aware of new information, you should just incorporate it into a consistent text, not have an “Edit:” paragraph at the end and strange strike-throughs.
    – chirlu
    Mar 1, 2016 at 19:42
  • The entry for Hufflepuff on JKR's old website just stated: "One of the four celebrated Founders of Hogwarts, Hufflepuff was particularly famous for her dexterity at food-related Charms. Many recipes traditionally served at Hogwarts feasts originated with Hufflepuff."
    – ibid
    Mar 1, 2016 at 19:50
  • You are probably referring to her Famous Wizard Card JKR wrote for the video games: "Co-founder of Hogwarts. Gave her name to one of the four Hogwarts houses. She brought people from different walks of life together to help build Hogwarts and was loved for her charming ways.". Can be found here and here.
    – ibid
    Mar 1, 2016 at 19:50
  • This doesn't seem to answer the question at all. It's about the history of magical and non magical Britain rather than the relative wealth of the Hogwarts founders.
    – TylerH
    Apr 1, 2021 at 16:13

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.