This is a holiday tradition that is lost outside of historical re-enactments, and I think that is a shame. The Lord of Misrule was a time honoured tradition for centuries, and quite a fun one at that. When we think of Christmas in past centuries, we often think of staid and rigid feasts where you ate with people in your social class. Us lower classes would have expected possibly a gift or two from our aristocratic lords, and that was that. However, the Lord of Misrule provided an outlet for all of our pent-up feelings (good or bad) towards those lords. Today, I’m going to dive into the history of the Lord of Misrule, and the fun of it!
What is the Lord of Misrule?
The Lord of Misrule was “[a]n official in late-medieval courts, colleges, or aristocratic households whose job it was to provide Christmas entertainment… he seems to have had real power to direct his audience in merry practices or even real misrule and social inversion.” (Gerry Bowler. The World Encyclopedia of Christmas. McClelland & Stewart Ltd: Toronto, 2000. p.134) Yes, it was someone’s job to make merriment and fun for everyone. Rather like a cruise director, but Christmas themed! In the medieval period, you would also have heard the terms the Abbot of Misrule, the Christmas king/prince, or Prester John, but they all had the same role.
Note: This Lord of Misrule is not to be confused with the Lush scent, also named Lord of Misrule… If you want to find this Lord of Misrule, add “history” to your search!
Where did the Lord of Misrule Originate?
More likely than not, this position originated with the Roman Magister Ludi. They presided over Saturnalia festivities (which lasted somewhere between 17 and 23 December), and took charge of the Feast of Fools. When Saturnalia was replaced by the Christian Christmas, this role morphed into the Lord of Misrule. In the medieval period, the Lord of Misrule lead people in pantomimes, card games, general hijinks, and merrymaking.
Looking for other holiday tradition history bites? Christmas trees and The Nutcracker are a wonderful place to start!
Did you know the history of the Lord of Misrule?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin’
