17th century, historical figure, Persia, Persian, primary source, quotes, stories
The Persian Safavid king Shāh ʿAbbās I (r. 1588-1629) seems to have had several jesters, including, unusually, a woman. Another jester was Kal ʿEnāyat (‘ ʿEnāyat the Bald’, d. 1608), baldness being a time-honoured attribute often associated with fools...
19th century, dramatic character, Europe, German, Germany, play, primary source, quotes
Valerio in Georg Buchner’s play Leonce and Lena (1836) is a character for whom the power and weight of a Shakespearean court jester has been claimed. Although not formally designated a jester, he clearly acts the part, forever mocking and having his say,...
16th century, Europe, historical figure, Italian, Italy, primary source, quotes, stories
The Italian dwarf-jester Antonio da Trento, who went by the nick-name of Nanino (Little Dwarf), served Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua (1466-1519), by whom he was on one occasion threatened with irons and manacles if he did not control his mockery. His...
5th century, dramatic character, India, play, primary source, quotes, Sanskrit, stories
In The Little Clay Cart (Mycchakatika, attributed to Sudraka) the vidusaka Maitreya, whom we met earlier, shows a perhaps even greater degree of familiarity, loyalty and irreverence than Kalidasa’s vidusaka. He stands by his master even when the latter has lost...
6th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, Northern Qi, primary source, quotes, stories
Shi Dongtong 石動筩 (Moving Bucket), jester of Bei Qi Gaozu 北齊高祖 (r. 550-59), was exceptionally gifted in verbal wit and could run rings around scholars and clerics. The emperor had people read Xiao Tong’s 蕭統 (501-31) great Anthology of Literature 文選. He sighed...
9th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
When the poet Li Shen 李紳 (772-846) occupied Guangling, Zheng Can was his subordinate. In 844 Can gave a banquet for Li Shen at which the entertainment was a performance by an ageing dancer. The jester Sunzi Duo 孫子多 (Many Grandsons) thought up a rhyming jingle about...
12th century, Europe, Ireland, primary source, quotes, stories
Jesters could use rhymes and ditties to crack a joke or make a point, and the capacity to produce verse can signal some overlap with poets. But this intersection goes further – in some times and places the role of court poet could share some common ground with...
11th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
In the Tiansheng reign period (1023-32) of Emperor Song Renzong 宋仁宗 a banquet was held at which poems were to be presented, the rhyming scheme to follow the word paihuai, or ‘dithering’. Jesters put on a skit using the various meanings of the word. A...
