Mayor of Michel Delving

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The Mayor of Michel Delving was the elected leader of Michel Delving, the de facto capital of the Shire. Though the responsibilities Mayoralty itself amounted to little more than presiding at banquets, the office was attached to that of Postmaster and First Shirriff and so by the end of the Third Age had surpassed the Thainship as the most important official position in the shire, so much so that its occupant was commonly known as the Mayor of the Shire.[1]

The Mayor was chosen by the hobbits of the Shire every seven years at Lithe, during the Free Fair on the White Downs.[1]

In Fo.A. 13 (S.R. 1434) the Mayor of Michel Delving, along with the Thain and the Master of Buckland, was made a Counsellor of the newly re-established North-kingdom by King Elessar.[2]

Mayors of Michel Delving

Will Whitfoot was the Mayor of Michel Delving during the War of the Ring. An old and fat hobbit, he was largely regarded as a harmless figure of fun[3] but showed his mettle when in T.A. 3019 he was one of the few hobbits that protested Lotho Sackville-Baggins' takeover of the Shire on behalf of Saruman, and in return was imprisoned in the Lockholes by Lotho's Ruffians.[4] He was released following the Scouring of the Shire, and Frodo Baggins acted as his Deputy until he had recovered.[5]

After Whitfoot, Samwise Gamgee served an unprecedented seven consecutive terms as Mayor, starting in Fo.A. 6 and ending in Fo.A. 55 (S.R. 1427–1476).[2]

References