Thrones and jesters...?

Question

In cartoons and fantasy books, kings sat in thrones in empty throne rooms, with their jester by their side. But would this have really occurred? When did the king keep the court jester for company, and why and when did he sit in his throne? Did jesters really wear such bright colors?

Answer 1

Jesters appear throughout history, though they are mainly associated with the Middle Ages. In England, they died out with Charles I: Oliver Cromwell would have seen them as frippery, quite inappropriate to a Puritan lifestyle. I'm copying and pasting some interesting information from several (cited) sources:

"...the court jester was a universal phenomenon appearing across time and place as jesters were examined [by Beatrice K Otto] in Europe, China, India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.

The jester pokes "jest" or fun at important political figures such as kings and emperors, allowing them to laugh at themselves and be humanized thereby. The jester offers a monarch a salable commodity—laughter, entertainment, wit, and insight—that eases political tensions at court and allows the ruler to see himself as the poor, downtrodden, and often disadvantaged individuals view him. For the services of the jester, often the monarch was prepared to pay handsomely with honors, gifts, titles, lands, and positions of influence.

But the legacy of every jester was to provide pointed advice and shrewd wit to rulers."
http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jwh/14.4/br_3.html

"Jesters and the clowns who performed as court Jesters were given great freedom of speech. Often they were the only one to speak out against the ruler's ideas, and through their humor were able to affect policy. This is what distinguishes him from a pure entertainer who would juggle batons, swallow swords, strum on a lute, or a clown who would play the fool simply to amuse people. The Jester everywhere employed the same techniques to carry out this delicate role, and it would take an obtuse king or emperor not to realize what he was driving at, since other court functionaries sugarcoated the king's facts for him before delivery; the Jester delivered them raw. It was the nature of Jesters to speak their minds when the mood overtook them, regardless of the consequences. They were not necessarily calculating or circumspect, and this may account for their foolishness. Jesters were also generally of inferior social and political status and as a result were rarely in a position to pose a power threat."
http://www.comm.unt.edu/histofperf/davidwoodford/Medieval%20Jesters%20topic_three_page.htm

"Jesters typically wore brightly colored clothing in a motley pattern. Their hats, sometimes called the cap ’n bells, cockscomb (obsolete coxcomb), were especially distinctive; made of cloth, they were floppy with three points (liliripes) each of which had a jingle bell at the end. The three points of the hat represent the asses' ears and tail worn by jesters in earlier times. Other things distinctive about the jester were his incessant laughter and his mock scepter, known as a bauble or marotte."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jester (This Wikipedia article is really quite good. There are links for Will Somers, etc, Henry VIII's jester, or "Fool".)

The medieval kings would sit on their thrones far more often than modern monarchs, who do not need the panoply of royalty. They would receive ambassadors, potentates, petitioners, etc, from their throne. I don't know why they would have been painted with their jesters, except that they might have wanted to confer honour upon them for services received - reading through the above, it's quite likely the monarch would have been glad to have at least one person who would "tell it like it is"!

Answer 2

The jester was also often the king's closest confindant as well as a provider of entertainment.. By the way King Henry VIIIs jester was named Will Sommers and was a dwarf

The throne is a symbol of power if you look again at those pictures, the throne is elevated above the rest of the people

Answer 3

Haven't you seen Geo W sitting with his advisors & lawyers? Same deal, history lives around us - - - - the King gets the best seat in the House. All the answers you have been given are on target. Yes and yes again. Bright colors have always meant mirth. See band Barleyjuice for the tune "Muckle John" for a true telling of a fool's value....

Pax - - - -

Historic wise // Jimmy Carter had his brither Bill, and Nixon had Halderman and Ehrlichman // Jesters one and all...

Answer 4

Jesters have been around since recorded history of Kings and their courts. The jester provided entertainment and if allowed, provided a counterpoise to the autocratic tendencies of the King.
Regards.

Answer 5

I am a funny Guy with a good sense of humor, so I hope so. There can be nothing bad in heaven though! Peace!