The history of the government of the City of London may be traced back to at least two centuries before the Norman Conquest, and by 1066 the city was in possession of a complete form of civic government. In 1189 when Richard I succeeded to the throne, the title of Mayor was given to the chief governor of the city. The first mayor was Henry Fitz-Eylwin. Since then, some 700 men and one woman have over the centuries held the position of chief officer of the City of London. The most famous of them all is Dick Whittington. The appointment of Mayor was at first in the hands of the King. In 1215, the same year of the Magna Carta, John granted to the citizens the right to elect their own Mayor, though this right was frequently interfered with in subsequent reigns. The election of Lord Mayor is now in the hands of the Livery and is held in the Great Hall of Guildhall. In early times the Lord Mayor exercised nearly the whole body of judicial and executive power. Though many of these duties have long been delegated to various other officers, the Lord Mayor, who ranks immediately after the sovereign, still plays a vital role in the life of the City of London.