Something that I've recently decided I'm interested in is the court jester--or fool--of medieval times. It was such an odd role: the jester was an entertainer, and typically not pulled from the ranks of the ruling elite--so he could enjoy a completely loose tongue with impunity, insulting kings and queens and just generally blurting out whatever witticism came into his head. The jester provided a rare instance of fearless criticism of a king, and could sometimes act as an influential adviser. It's all pretty neat.
I was reading about the subject here.
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