London is first known to have been enfranchised and represented in Parliament in 1298. It was the most important city in England and was administered as a county of itself from before boroughs were first represented in Parliament. It received four seats in Parliament instead of the normal two for an English constituency. The extra two seats (whose holders were known as knights, like the representatives of a county) were supposed to represent the county-like status of London. No such extra seats were awarded to other cities or boroughs which received the status of being counties of themselves in later times.