Droit du seigneur
Supposed sexual right of medieval lords
Why this is trending
Interest in “Droit du seigneur” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-07-18.
Categorised under History, this article fits a familiar pattern. Historical topics gain renewed attention when tied to commemorations, documentaries, or current events that echo past episodes.
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Key Takeaways
- There are many references to the alleged custom throughout the centuries but little evidence that it actually existed.
- The term is often used synonymously with jus primae noctis , Latin for "right of the first night".
- In the narrative, the protagonist's exercise of the right is one of the grievances that led the people of Uruk to pray for a rival (Enkidu) to stop his tyranny.
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Source summary
WikipediaDroit du seigneur ('right of the lord'), also known as jus primae noctis ('right of the first night', recently sometimes incorrectly referred to as prima nocta), was a supposed legal right in medieval Europe, allowing feudal lords to have sexual relations with any female subject, particularly on her wedding night. There are many references to the alleged custom throughout the centuries but little evidence that it actually existed.
The French expression droit du seigneur translates as "right of the lord", but modern French usage prefers droit de jambage (French: [dʁwa d(ə) ʒɑ̃baʒ], from jambe, 'leg') or, more commonly, droit de cuissage (French: [dʁwa d(ə) kɥisaʒ], from cuisse, 'thigh').
The term is often used synonymously with jus primae noctis, Latin for "right of the first night".
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