Where fools rush in
Kachal Muṣṭafā was a jester to the Persian Safavid king, Shāh ʿAbbās I (r. 1588-1629). Typically for a jester, he was given broad access to...
Whimsical fools
This 15th century illumination of the Pietà is by the Master of the Lee Hours, an anonymous Flemish artist who contributed to a book of hours for...
A cure worse than the disease
The French traveller Jean Chardin (1643-1713), who spent several years living, working and travelling in Persia in the late 17th century, tells us...
In fool regalia
Fools frequently pop up in various guises in medieval illuminations, sometimes with a scriptural connection, illustrating the line from Psalm 53 in...
The indispensable truth teller
This is a fictitious jester, drawing on the Thousand and One Nights, and commenting on the archetypal role of the jester as truth-teller, in this case to the exclusion of...
Fedor’s fools
Giles Fletcher was appointed English ambassador to Tsar Fedor I (r. 1584-98) on 6th June 1588. His account of his stay in Moscow was one of the most widely read...
Eight minus two equals six
During the reign of Emperor Ming Xianzong 明宪宗 (r. 1468-87), Zhu Yong (朱永), Duke of Baoguo, ran twelve military camps and used conscripted soldiers to repair his vast residence. The...
Railing and scoffing
A curious and detailed note from Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury (1563-1612), a close advisor to James I, and son of an even closer advisor to Elizabeth I, William Cecil. ...
Mock you may not
At a banquet given during the Taihe reign period (827-35) of Emperor Tang Wenzong 唐文宗 (r. 827-40), a jester mocked Confucius in a variety show performance. The emperor was angered...
Silence the skit
During the Baoqing reign period (1225-55) of Emperor Song Lizong 宋理宗 (r. 1224-64), Prime Minister Shi Miyuan 史彌遠 (1164-1233) gave a banquet at his residence at which variety skits were...
Healing through laughter
From an excellent study of Pueblo Indian clowns in North America, this is a beautiful and limpid summary of the role of clowns, as apparently bestowed by the gods. In...
A jester steps in
One class of jester anecdotes concerns their intervening on behalf of others, cajoling or otherwise eliciting random acts of forebearance or thoughtfulness by people often in positions of absolute power.
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The ploughman’s fool
This hand-coloured aquatint dates from 1813 and illustrates a custom connected with Plough Stots, a form of traditional sword-dance from Yorkshire. The core group of six dancers...
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