Historians note that the Catholic carnival date was rescheduled six days earlier in 1091 in the Council of Benevent, because the Sundays were excluded from the 40-day fasting period before Easter, making Ash Wednesday the first day of Lent. From then until the 16th century, the two carnival dates existed. The first one, ending on Ash Wednesday, was known as the "Herren-" or "Pfaffenfasnacht" (lords' or priests' carnival) and was observed by those members of the higher echelons of society. The second, one week later at the old time, was known as the "Bauernfasnacht" (farmers' carnival). Afterwards, only this second carnival was celebrated in Basel.