droit du seigneur

('right of the lord'), also known as ('right of the first night') or prima nocta, was a supposed legal right in medieval Europe, allowing feudal lords to have sexual relations with any female subject, particularly on their wedding night. While there are many references to the custom throughout the centuries, scholars since the 1800s have questioned whether such a law ever truly existed or was practiced, with many believing it was simply a trope used to make rulers seem more barbaric. Over the centuries, it became commonly portrayed in European literature as a practice that had occurred in earlier times and/or outside Europe. In practice, it may have been the feudal lords using their power and influence over serfs to sexually exploit the women free of consequences, as opposed to a legitimate legal right. Terminology The French expression translates as "right of the lord", but modern French usage prefers (, from , 'leg') or, more commonly, (, from , 'thigh'). The term is often used synonymously with , Latin for "right of the first night".