mayors have been appointed at the beginning of their term of office knights or dames of St John, as a mark of respect, by Queen Elizabeth II, Sovereign Head of the Order of St John. History The office of mayor was instituted in 1189, the first holder of the office being Henry Fitz-Ailwin de Londonestone. The mayor of the City of London has been elected by the City, rather than appointed by the sovereign, ever since a Royal Charter providing for a Mayor was issued by King John in 1215. The title "lord mayor" came to be used after 1354, when it was granted to Thomas Legge (then serving his second of two terms) by King Edward III. Lord mayors are elected for one-year terms; by custom, they do not now serve more than one consecutive term. Numerous individuals have served multiple terms in office, including: As Mayor 24 terms: Sir Henry FitzAlan (1189–1212) 9 terms: Ralph de Sandwich (1285–1289, 1289–1292) 8 terms: Gregory de Rokesley (1274–1280, 1284) 7 terms: Andrew Buckerel (1231–1237); John le Breton (1289, 1293–1298); John le Blund (1301–1307) 6 terms: Richard le Ranger (1222–1226, 1238); Hamo de Chigwell (1319, 1321, 1322, 1324, 1325, 1327) 5 terms: Serlo le Mercer (1214, 1218–1221) As Lord Mayor Sir Nicholas Brembre (1377, 1383–1385; 4 terms) Sir Richard ('Dick') Whittington (1397, 1398, 1406 and 1419; 4 terms) William Sevenoke (1418) Sir Robert Fowler (elected in 1883 and in 1885). Sir William Russell (2019–2021, 2 terms) Almost 700 people have served as lord mayor. Dame Mary Donaldson , elected in 1983, as well as Dame Fiona Woolf , elected in 2013, are the only women to have held the office. Some lord mayors in the Middle Ages, such as Sir Edward Dalyngrigge (1392), did not reside in London. Since 1435, the lord mayor has been chosen from amongst the aldermen of the City of London. Election The lord mayor is elected at Common Hall, comprising liverymen belonging to all of the City's livery companies. Common Hall is summoned by the sitting lord mayor; it meets at Guildhall on Michaelmas Day (29 September) or on the closest weekday. Voting is by show of hands; if, however, any liveryman so demands, balloting is held a fortnight later. The qualification to stand for election is that one must have served as a City sheriff and be a current alderman. Since 1385, prior service as sheriff