The jus primae noctis (in Italian: "right of the first night") is a Latin phrase that indicates an alleged right possessed by a feudal lord who, on the occasion of the marriage of his own serf, could have claimed to replace his husband on the wedding night. In reality, there are no sources that prove the actual existence of such a right.
There is no evidence of the real existence and diffusion of this right in medieval Europe. In particular, in the historical sources of the Middle Ages no mention of it can be traced, neither by the secular authorities (kings, emperors), nor by the ecclesiastical ones. In fact, every known reference dates back to later times.
This has led part of modern historiographical criticism to de-categorize the ius primae noctis as a sort of modern myth relating to the medieval era, the validity of which is not based on any documented source.
In fact, there is also documentary evidence that shows how some details about certain taxes due and certain claimed rights, taken out of their context, were used by scholars starting from the 15th century as a useful source to produce the legend of this institution of the bad time now gone. .