The first part of a revision of the European species of the genus Rhabdomastix Skuse, 1890 is presented. The history of taxonomic research on Rhabdomastix is reviewed, relationships of the genus are discussed, and the subgeneric classification outlined and re-assessed. A new subgenus, Lurdia subgen. n., is established for species centred around R. lurida (Loew, 1873), and Palaeogonomyia Meunier, 1899 and Sacandaga Alexander, 1911, previously considered subgenera, are synonymized with Rhabdomastix. A revision of the European species of Lurdia subgen. n. is presented. Two species are redescribed, Rhabdomastix (Lurdia) lurida (Loew, 1873) and R. (L.) inclinata Edwards, 1938, and the lectotype of the former is designated. Descriptions are provided of seven species, viz. R. (L.) mendli sp. n. (Switzerland, Germany, Italy), R. (L.) sublurida sp. n. (Czech Republic, Slovakia), R. (L.) furva sp. n. (Slovakia), R. (L.) loewi sp. n. (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy), R. (L.) robusta sp. n. (Czech Republic, Slovakia), R. (L.) falcata sp. n. (Switzerland, Germany, Bulgaria) and R. (L.) tatrica sp. n. (Slovakia). Male and female terminalia are illustrated for all the species (except female falcata), and a key to species is appended.