The Fools and their History

[Northern Lass]

I have been watching the Tudors
marvellous series....

and was fascinated by the place of the "fool" in the royal household....Mark say nought!!

I mean the Jester! you know the one who made the king or queen laugh

Did they have a special place?
From when and up to when did they appear at court?

[Rob]

An interesting topic Northern Lassie.
Fools or Court Jesters have been around since before Christ.Fool when when translated from the Latin "Follis" means " bag of wind". I didn't google that either i remembered from school!
Fools were clever men who under the disguise of being dim-witted could mock and speak freely to Monarchs.
Henry the eighth,for example,being no fool realized the importance of this advice.

[Northern Lass]

Interesting Rob thanks for that
I suppose in an era of sychophants someone that would speak the truth would be useful

[Rob]

Sychophant - toady, yes man, flunky, fawner, flatterer.
Sorry i honestly didn't know exactly what a sycophant was.A new word learnt!!
The Fool crops up in every medieval and Renaissance court in the world especially Europe.Unfortunately mental and physical deformity provided amusement and attached
to noble and royal courts were dwarfs, cripples, idiots, albinos, and freaks.
That film with Peter Sellars what's it called? You know the one where he was metally retarded and became President of the USA or an advisor to him.
I've forgotten now but he was a sort of Jester or not?

[Rob]

Well that was a popular thread Janet!!

[Northern Lass]

Well that was a popular thread Janet!!

Quality not quantity Robert!