The Council traces its roots to the Corporation of Leicester, and before then to the "Merchant Gild" and the "Portmanmoot". The Portmanmoot consisted of 24 , elected from the burgesses (members of the Gild Merchant, or ), along with two bailiffs, and a clerk. It appears to have existed before the Norman Conquest in 1066. In 1209, the lead member of the Portmanmoot, the Alderman, became known as a mayor. The Gild Merchant and the Moot overlapped in membership and had probably become effectively merged in the 14th century. Membership of the Twenty-Four appears to have been by co-option, chosen by themselves.