17th century, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Spain, Spanish
The 17th century Spanish writer and jurist Cristóbal Suárez de Figueroa lashes out at jesters. A rare example of such strong antipathy, even at the tail-end of the great age of European jesterdom.  Regrettably, he doesn’t really tell us why they irk him so. ...
17th century, Europe, fictive fool, primary source, quotes, Spain, Spanish, stories
Jesters had some overlap with court poets, perhaps partly due to the fact that versifying was a common capability among them. In some cases, this included the capacity to trot out extempore verse, whether making up a rhyme or ditty to entertain or edify. In the case...
16th century, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Spain, Spanish, stories
An account of a Spanish jester which suggests a relaxed relationship with the aristocrats around him.  Here is Gabriel, possibly jester to Fadrique EnrÃquez II (c. 1465–1538), 4th Admiral of Castille, relaxedly playing chess with the Duke of Alba, and deciding how to...
17th century, Europe, fictive fool, primary source, quotes, Spain, Spanish
This website and the book which inspired it both seek to address this complaint, attributed to the perhaps real but probably fictive 17th century Spanish jester, Estebanillo González, who laments that the history books generally remain ‘silent in the face of...
16th century, Europe, fooleum, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Spain, Spanish
This painting depicts the Spanish Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566-1633), Archduchess of Austria, in an affectionate pose with the dwarf natural Madalena Ruiz. Â Madalena was at court for some forty years from 1565, and is mentioned a number of times in letters...
