Clown - a profession that walks the line between life and death in the royal family

The job of selling laughter

The Court Jester is a profession with a long history, known for entertaining kings and nobles. He was also an entertainer at fairs and towns. To this day, jesters often perform at historically themed events.

Clowns are often seen in distinctive and distinctive costumes. Their colorful costumes and eccentric Motley Fool hats make them stand out from the crowd. Today, this style from the Late Classical and Renaissance periods continues to inspire modern clowns to learn from and adopt.

Possessing many different skills, these people are hired to perform special acts and skills, mostly in a humorous style such as: telling jokes, singing, music, acrobatics, juggling, magic, etc. Originating from the Middle Ages, clowns were carefully and rigorously selected to meet the entertainment and relaxation needs of people with high ranks.

A royal jester could be appointed because of their distinctive appearance or selected from a pool of entertainers, sometimes courtiers would also nominate faces with the ability to joke to hold a position within the royal family.

Unique relationships with people in power

Clowns are sometimes the object of ridicule for their self-created entertainment, but they are also great entertainers and can provide great entertainment. History records the story of a famous clown in the 12th century during the reign of King Henry II of England, Roland the Farter. This artist is well known for his anecdotes, every Christmas Eve, before the king and his court, he had to perform a performance of dancing, whistling and farting simultaneously as a way of entertaining.

In addition, the jester is a trusted companion and in many cases even influences important decisions. For example, the jesters of the Tübatulabal nation in the Sierra Nevada mountains once asked the elders to appoint a new chief when the old leader showed poor management skills.

In the royal family, jesters are privileged with freedom of speech and the right to mock anyone with little or no punishment. Their ability to express their views in a humorous yet ironic way gives them the ability to sway the decisions of those in power.

Risks that can be life-threatening

However, unlike in movies or literature, clown jokes are not always well received. Sometimes, the ridicule and criticism go too far and the artist will receive a bad ending, even a death sentence.

In 1638, the jester Archibald Armstrong humiliated the Archbishop of Canterbury with a prank at a time when the leader of the Church of England was facing a heated controversy over his revision of the “Scottish Book of Common Prayer.” For this, Archibald Armstrong was completely banished from the royal family without mercy.

Scottish clown, Archibald Armstrong (Photo: Wikipedia)

In addition to the risk to their lives, jesters also faced the risk of punishment if they failed to please their masters. During the Middle Ages, kings and nobles could order jesters to be punished if they failed to entertain their masters.

In reality, punishment is not uncommon. History has shown that some clowns openly criticized their masters or royalty without any consequences. So the story of how the clown balanced humor and satire is of great importance. At the same time, it affirms the talent and wisdom of a professional clown.

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