Why were there jesters

Although you might assume that being made to wear a stupid costume, be mocked, and act like an idiot for the entertainment of fatuous rulers would be a job nobody would want- like the position of Groom of the Stool a job which initially consisted of directly supplying the necessaries to facilitate a good and clean bowel movement to the King, as well as to monitor said fecal matter and make dietary recommendations based on what you saw there - the position of court jester was actually an enviable one due to it involving spending so much time with those in power.

And as you were often putting them in good humor and otherwise making them happy, it was a position that came with a whole slew of perks. So what was life actually like as a court jester? Beyond entertaining the masses, from Egyptian Pharaoh to the first Emperor of China, the wealthy have frequently employed the services of these individuals. Over the centuries this line of work matured and as we get into Medieval times in the Western world, we start to see court jesters that somewhat fit the common stereotype depicted today.

In both cases, those with physical deformities, such as extreme hunchback, malformed limbs, particularly ugly visages, etc. As for the job description, it was surprisingly diverse, but in a nutshell was to entertain the court and their patron basically anytime they wanted and in any way said royal wanted, be it some witty banter, performing a drama, reciting poetry or stories, singing songs, performing acrobatics, etc.

When not called to perform directly at banquets and the like, they were likewise frequent companions to their patron, and generally in charge of cheering them up whenever needed. At other times, some were given additional tasks like various household duties, running messages, etc. On this latter note, given these jesters were present and privy to the inner workings of court intrigue, they were natural candidates to carry highly confidential messages.

The down side of this is that jesters were sometimes the ones appointed to carry messages around on battlefields, as well as to the enemy camp- not the safest job in the world. Not just useful on the battlefield for carrying messages, they also sometimes were tasked with entertaining the troops, more or less functioning as something of what we think of as a modern day cheerleader and comedian combined in this role.

On the whole, these individuals were those who had some sort of mental issue and were by their very nature thought to be entertaining. They also were prized for their propensity to naturally speak the unbridled truth. You can still visit his tomb in Maggoty Wood today. Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses. Home Period Medieval What was life like for a court jester?

Read more: How to throw a medieval feast 10 dangers of the medieval period. Read more: Tudor women: what was life like? Read more: Call the medieval sex doctor exclusive to The Library Six trailblazing medieval women. More on: United Kingdom. Often, this would involve cracking jokes about the opposing side and, occasionally, someone would take offense and prematurely charge the jester rather than the army they were meant to be fighting. Originally from New York, Katie is used to a fast-paced lifestyle.

She got her personal start with writing in the second grade, and carried that passion with her until she won a spot in her high school's published poetry book - but not before becoming the News Editor and columnist for the high school newspaper. In college, she majored in English Literature with an emphasis in Political Science, soaking up most creativity and method from one of the last professors to study under famed beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

The more she wrote, the more she learned about the world and, more importantly, herself. She has been writing professionally and has been published since the age of 19, and for nearly a decade has covered topics in entertainment, lifestyle, music news, video game reviews, food culture, and now has the privilege of writing and editing for TheTravel.

Katie has a firm belief that every word penned is a journey into yourself and your own thoughts, and through understanding this, people can begin to understand each other. Through her voice, she brings personality, research, and a bit of friendly sarcasm to every piece she writes and edits. By Katie Machado Published Jan 05, Share Share Tweet Email Comment. The earliest European jesters were said to be ancient Rome's comic actors. They were referred to as Latin terms such as mimi, scurrae and historians.

These comic actors of Rome filled similar functions that the jesters later were known for. Due to purges against comedians and actors because of their outspokenness, a large percentage of them were forced to flee to other frontiers in search of a more appreciative audience.

These actors and wandering comics laid the foundation for later medieval jesters. The European jester inherited common traits of Roman historians and bards of Gaul.

During summer months they dressed in colorful costumes and carried a viol or a harp across their shoulder and traveled to various castles and towns.

Their acts and songs represented feats of agility and were often accompanied by music. Stories of scripture, miracles of saints and legends of heroes were all common themes. They were commonly found in castles and at fairs as well as market places. Lords and ladies loved to reward them with gifts and the princes and kings employed the most skilled one to work in their court. Even bishops were known to retain the works of a jester. European jesters emerged from a wide variety of backgrounds.

He could be a monk thrown from a priory, a university dropout, a jongleur with a phenomenal vocabulary, a musician, a poet or even a random apprentice who was amusing.

A jester could start his career in the club circuit and if he was lucky enough to be discovered then he could make it big in the courts. Since jesters were granted freedom of speech, they could speak out if they chose, against their ruler's ideas.

It was the jester's nature to speak their mind, regardless of any consequences. Since they were rarely in any type of position to pose any kind of power threat, their outspokenness was not to be taken seriously since they had nothing to gain by their words. Due to the Civil War, Charles I was overthrown and jesters came to an end. England was under Oliver Cromwell and as a Puritan Christian republic, there was no longer a place for jesters. Additionally, English theater suffered and entertainers moved to Ireland.

After the restoration, the tradition of the court jester was not reinstated. In the 18 th century, the tradition of jesters had pretty much died except for in Spain, Germany and Russia.