Ius primae noctis or the “right of the first night,” sometimes known as droit de seigneur, is a legendary right which was supposedly held by feudal lords. According to the terms of this right, the lord of the manor had the right to the marriage bed on the first night of a serf or peasant's marriage. Although numerous stories about ius primae noctis can be found, and the concept has been used as a plot device in many films and novels, some historical evidence strongly suggests that this right never existed.
This is a comment posted by none other than Jeff Ownyalotanoobs on pidgin.net which I never knew before, but it looks worthy.
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