13th century, Europe, fooleum, France, illumination, manuscript, primary source
This outstanding illumination has a double dose of fools. The first is the fool who would presume to menace Christ, perhaps unique among fools for sporting a dog’s face, let alone his winged headgear. He also has what appears to be a fool’s...
13th century, Europe, fooleum, France, illumination, manuscript
Medieval illuminations are a rich source of fool imagery, sometimes deploying the fool for serious theological messaging, at others apparently due to mere whimsy on the part of the illuminator. Of the former, most common are depictions of a fool to illustrate the...
13th century, Europe, historical figure, Latin, primary source, quotes
The church had a complex relationship with fools; some priests or monks occasionally or regularly took on the fool’s role, and that is discounting the whole universe of ‘holy fools’. In addition, there were cardinals and popes who had their own court...
13th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
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 performed. Such skits were a regular vehicle for jesters to draw attention to...
13th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
A common technique among Chinese jesters was to put together a skit to get a point across to the Emperor, in this resembling something of the use made in the Elizabethan court of masques and similar performances, as a vehicle to convey a message without directly...
13th century, Persia, Persian, primary source, quotes
Jesters are regularly confronted with the unpredictability of great or absolute power; they can be rewarded for an insult or a harsh truth, or executed for the same. Many are quite accomplished in walking a tightrope of favour without falling into a pit of...
13th century, 14th century, bibliography, book chapter, England, English, Europe, medieval, research
A clear account of attitudes and beliefs in medieval England regarding mental disability and illness, Buhrer’s paper highlights distinctions between temporary and congenital madness or mental impairment, as it was considered in society and by the courts. The...
