5 facts about jesters that will change the way you look at this profession

1. Sometimes jesters fought duels and even won

Dwarf Geoffrey Hudson (pseudonym - Lord Minimus) served jester at the court of the English Queen Henrietta Maria of France in the 1630s. And she loved him very much. Firstly, because he was funny in appearance - in those cruel times they liked to mock people whose appearance was different from the generally accepted one. Even the red-haired got it, and even more so short.

Secondly, the dwarf was extremely witty and did not climb into his pocket for a word. Thirdly, Hudson had remarkable artistic talents and played roles in plays and masquerades. And he also had an original by the standards of the Middle Ages number: dressed in armor, on holidays he jumped out of a huge cake in front of the queen.

Nowadays, some people do this too. True, not in armor, but in swimsuits with sequins.

Hudson had excellent manners, was trained ride, and he was even awarded the rank of captain of the guard. But his short stature was the subject of constant ridicule, and one day Geoffrey's patience snapped.

A certain gentleman of the court, brother of the first Baron Crofts, insulted Captain Geoffrey Hudson in 1644. And he, declaring that his officer's honor was offended, challenged the offender to a duel. Crofts accepted the challenge and showed up for the duel brandishing a huge enema. From it, as from a water pistol, he doused Hudson.

The dwarf did not appreciate the joke, took out a flintlock pistol and clearly demonstrated that he had been taught to shoot at the cavalry troops. AND drove shot Crofts right in the head.

Geoffrey faced the death penalty, but Henrietta Maria interceded for him, and the duelist was expelled from the royal court. Then he was 25 years old.

As a result, the demoted captain went to wander the world. By the will of fate, the former jester and favorite of the queen ended up on a ship that was captured by Barbary pirates, and he spent the next 25 years in slavery in Algeria and Tunisia. It wasn't until 1669 that Geoffrey Hudson was redeemed from captivity and returned home to England.

2. In China, a jester could become a scientist, writer, diplomat, judge, and more.

There lived a jester in ancient China named Dongfang Shuo Manqian. His real name, however, was simply Zhang, and everything else was a creative pseudonym, meaning something along the lines of "graceful and beautiful new moon in the east." This jester made a very decent career - and all thanks to a correctly compiled summary.

In 138 BC e. Emperor Wu published a decree that all persons possessing "honesty, order, scientific and literary talents or outstanding force, "sent their recommendations to him so that he could appoint himself officials for vacant positions.

Dongfang Shuo decided that such a chance falls once in a lifetime. The fact is that he was dissatisfied with the salary: the work of a comedian brought him annually only one bag of rice and a little change, which was barely enough not to stretch his legs.

The jester sent a letter to the emperor, in which, without false modesty, toldthat at the age of 12 he allegedly re-read the complete works of Confucius and learned 440,000 words, which, you see, is a lot. At 15 he became skilled swordsman, at 16 learned singing and history.

At the age of 19, he studied the works of masters Sun and Wu in military science and became a professional drum and gong user, and by 22 he had grown to nine feet three inches (about 2.5 meters).

He also has eyes like pearls, teeth like shells and has outstanding courage, agility, scrupulousness and loyalty.

The resume ended with an oath that Dongfang would die if he lied. The emperor read the message, burst out laughing and decided that such an interesting person could be taken to court without an interview. And if a candidate has lied about something, it is never too late to execute him.

Becoming the personal jester of the emperor himself, Dongfang Shuo Manqian went from a simple comedian to the prime minister. He became one of the most influential officials at the court, an adviser to the monarch, traveled with diplomatic missions and took part in the analysis of litigation.

He was also a scientist, literary critic, writer, poet and translator. He became such a famous person that centuries later the Chinese called it Zhexiang - something like a demigod in Taoism. Not a bad career advancement for a guy who started out on a bag of rice.

3. There were female jesters, and one even saved the whole king from death

If you think that entertain people in Middle Ages was a purely male prerogative, then you are mistaken. Women also did it, and no worse, and sometimes better than the opposite sex.

Naturally, women with certain physical features that were considered funny in the cruel Middle Ages, for example, dwarfism or mental retardation, were especially willing to be taken as jesters.

So, Mary Tudor in the 1540s had crackers Jane Fool and Lucretia Tumblr. The first had some kind of mental illness and went bald-shaven - a very unusual thing for a woman in those days. But Lucrezia was a healthy woman and a professional artist. She kept an eye on Jane so that she didn't throw anything that the queen wouldn't like.

Another interesting lady distinguished in the clownish field - a certain Matyurin de Valois, she is Matyurin-Dura. She served as many as three French kings: Henry III, Henry IV and Louis XIII in succession. Known for wearing an Amazon costume armor, shield and wooden sword. Despite the insulting nickname, she was distinguished by sanity and a good sense of humor.

Once, at a reception, Mathurine de Valois stood next to some court lady. She immediately complained to the king: “I don’t like that some fool is standing to my right!”

De Valois immediately walked around the lady on the other side and, looking to the right, calmly retorted: “Strange. And I'm fine."

De Valois was known not only for her jokes, but also for the fact that she saved the life of Henry IV no less. Somehow, a fanatic assassin broke into the king's chambers and tried to kill him. Majesty could come to an end, but Maturin jumped to the young man and struck him on the head with her wooden sword, giving the king time to escape.

The fanatic was quartered, and de Valois was showered with honors. However, a few years later, the king was stabbed to death by another fanatical Catholic, Francois Ravaillac. Apparently fate.

4. In the Middle Ages, there were jesters who specialized in flatulence

King Henry II had a favorite jester named George, famous also under the pseudonyms Roland le Farter, Roland le Sarcer and Roland le Pétour.

His Majesty immensely appreciated this comedian and showered him with all kinds of gifts. For example, he gave Roland the estate and village of Hemingston in Suffolk, as well as about 100 acres of farmland.

Why did Roland receive such favors from the monarch? Maybe he was not only a witty joker, but also a wise adviser? Did he become a reliable friend to Heinrich or did he save his life?

No. Roland may have had many talents, but history has recorded only one.

Judging by the entries in the royal book of feudal offices and possessions Liber Feodorum, at court Roland le Farter had the only duty. Once a year at Christmas, he performed a funny dance in front of the royal family, the name of which was translated from Latin as "One jump, one whistle and one act of passing intestinal gases."

Yes, this guy was given an estate and a village for personal use for blowing the winds loudly. And his nickname - Farter - means, to put it mildly, "a man with flatulence».

Roland was not the only such narrow specialist. Jesters, who can produce funny sounds and even musical compositions backwards, even had a special name - flatulists. These guys were extremely popular, because humanity appreciated toilet humor in the Middle Ages.

5. The jester could be a cold-blooded killer

Perhaps you think that all jesters are funny and harmless guys. But among them there were also very gloomy personalities who committed dark deeds. Naturally, with a touch of black humor, as they should.

In the middle of the XVI century in his castle Muncaster on the north coast of England lived Lord Alan Pennington. And this gentleman hired himself a jester named Thomas Skelton. He also took on the duties of a personal steward and teacher for his 14-year-old son.

Pennington also had a daughter, Helwise. And this young lady decided to change into a tattered dress so that they would not recognize her as a lady, and go to goodbye with Richard, a local carpenter.

The girl's fiancé, a certain nobleman named Sir Ferdinand, accidentally found out about this, and decided to take revenge on the infidel. He told Thomas Skelton what had happened, perhaps hoping that the jester would pass on his words to his father and disgrace the girl.

But the jester had his own ways of solving problems - all the more so the carpenter owed him money.

He ingratiated himself with Richard, entertaining him with endless anecdotes, indecent stories and tricks, and got him drunk with cider while they sat in the workshop.

When the drinking companion was no longer knitting a bast, Skelton went for an ax, crept up behind him, cut off his head and buried it in wood shavings. Moreover, he surrounded the victim's house, taking all the coins that he could find.

Perhaps this crime would have been lost in history if Skelton had not begun boast committed in front of Pennington's servants. Maybe he was drunk or he was not naturally cautious and sane. Or due to professional deformation, he could not resist a good joke.

But, apparently, Ferdinand and Alan Pennington did not mind such an act: no punishment followed, and the unfortunate Helwise was sent to monastery.

By the way, some supposethat it was Thomas Skelton who became the prototype for the jester from Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear.