The Mayor of Michel Delving, or more extensively the Mayor of the Shire, was an important title among the Hobbits of the Shire.
It was an elected position held for seven years and its holder the most important leader of the Shire. The mayor also presided over large events where leadership was required.
History[]
The Mayor of Michel Delving was elected for seven-year terms. He was the only official in the Shire to be elected, unlike the hereditary title of the Thain. He was chosen at the Free Fair at the Lithe, held every seven years at the White Downs. His primary duty was to preside over banquets during Shire-holidays.
Its importance increased during the late Third Age, assimilating the roles of Postmaster and First Shirriff, until it became the most important position, and its holder the only real official, in the Shire; the position was therefore known as "Mayor of the Shire". The town of Michel Delving became the Shire's seat of government.
Will Whitfoot was the mayor at the time of the War of the Ring; however, he was imprisoned by Saruman in the Lockholes. Frodo Baggins acted as Deputy Mayor for about six months while Mayor Will Whitfoot recovered from his imprisonment.
Beginning in FO 13 (SR 1434), King Elessar made the Mayor along with the offices of the Thain and Master of Buckland counsellors of the North-kingdom. Sam Gamgee was elected Mayor of the Shire seven times between SR 1427 (FO 6) and SR 1476 (FO 55) of the Shire Reckoning.
Translations[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Кмет на Голям Дълбалник |
| Czech | Velká Kopanina starosta |
| Finnish | Järin Möyremän pormestari |
| French | Maire de Grand'Cave |
| German | Bürgermeister von Michelbinge |
| Hebrew | ראש העיר של מישל דלווינג |
| Italian | Sindaco di Pietraforata |
| Russian | Мэр Мичел Делвинга |
References[]
- The Lord of the Rings, Prologue, "Of the Ordering of the Shire"
- The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter IX: "The Grey Havens"
- The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B