16th century, Europe, folk fool, German, Germany, medieval, Poland, primary source, quotes, stories
Till Eulenspiegel is a folk fool and trickster whose exploits were recounted across Europe and translated into multiple languages. He moved freely, sometimes as a jester, sometimes a wandering rogue. There are cheeky children’s tales about him and then more...
bibliography, book, canon, England, Europe, folk fool, France, German, Germany, Greece, historical figure, Italy, primary source, research, Russia, Spain, Turkey
Published in 1789, Flögel’s hefty 500+ page history of court jesters is breathtaking in its scope and scholarship; arguably the first serious such sweeping study in any Western language. It is the well-spring from which many subsequent leading works draw,...
16th century, 17th century, engraving, Europe, fooleum, German, Germany, primary source, print
This intriguing German engraving (c. 1600) features a Large Head of a Jester and an inscription beneath. Â Wearing a traditional jester’s cap complete with coxcomb and bells, and various badges, it stands out for both the curious lip-biting stance and the...
17th century, Europe, German, Germany, primary source, quotes
Johann Balthasar Schupp (1610-61) was a German satirical writer and Lutheran pastor. The tension between his use of wit and satire and his role as a pastor is perhaps highlighted in the question raised by fellow pastors in 1657:’Was it right that a doctor of...
15th century, Europe, German, Germany, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
There are some surviving anecdotes on the informal and meritocratic way in which jesters could be recruited. Sometimes they were ‘talent spotted’ by the ruler or a courtier on their travels, such as if they were something like the village fool. One famous...
Europe, fooleum, German, Germany, medieval, primary source, quotes
The mirror is a recurring theme in fooldom, both as a symbol and a function of the role – fools hold a mirror up to show things as they really are, in turn allowing us to ‘reflect’ on our behaviour. In European iconography, the jester can be seen...
