right of the first night

The "right of the first night" was a medieval practice where a lord or noble had the legal right to spend the first night with a newly married bride of a subordinate or vassal. This meant the lord could choose to be present or to have intimate access to the bride before she joined her husband. The practice was historically controversial and is often seen as an abuse of power or a symbol of feudal authority over personal relations. Today, it is largely abolished and recognized as an unfair and oppressive tradition.