According to the original town charter of 1136, the consuls of Ambialet were elected to a one-year term. They were charged with some important responsibilities: these included the building of the castle and the drawbridge; distributing the tax; setting the prices of wine, bread and meat; overseeing the right use of weights and measures; and, controlling the ports along the Tarn River. The consuls were also in charge of posting bail if a man was in jail in the castle. The town charter also indicated that if their Lord went to war against someone, the consuls did not have to follow him into war. You can see how important the consuls were for the town: these men were not only in charge of the defenses of the town, but also established the prices of goods, and controlled the ports of the city.
The people of Ambialet also had an interesting custom they followed each year. From among their male youth, they would elect a "King of the Youth" (Roi de la Jeunesse) for the year, who had his own seneschals, judge and sergeants, and whose job was to set holidays and feasts for the town. Upon being elected, he could demand a bucket of wine and quart of nuts from the last man to get married that year. The wine that the 'King of the Youth' collected would be drunk at town feasts for all to enjoy.
["La Charte" in Journée du Patrimoine 2010].
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