Jongleurs
History, Facts and
interesting information about Medieval music,
specifically, Jongleurs
Medieval Jongleurs
Definition and description of the
Jongleurs: The Jongleurs can be described as a court attendant or other
person such as a traveller who, for hire, recited or sang verses
and performed other acts for the entertainment of the audience
including thet of a conjuror or a juggler. Jongleur is the
French word for juggler. Often the Jongleurs role was to assist
the Troubadours or Minstrels.
Jongleurs
The Jongleurs were often collaborators or assistants of
Medieval Troubadours or
Minstrels. Jongleurs gained a reputation of
itinerant entertainers of Medieval France and in Norman England
where many were deemed to be vagabonds and untrustworthy. Their repertoire included extravagant skills
in dancing, conjuring, acrobatics, and juggling. The
Jongleurs also played a part in singing, and storytelling.
Many were skilled in playing musical instruments, although
their skills were not greatly recognised or rewarded.
Jongleurs
Skills of the Jongleurs
Jongleurs were required to be
all round entertainers and have a variety of different skills. These
skills are illustrated in the following description:
I can play the lute, vielle, pipe, bagpipe, panpipes, harp, fiddle,
guittern, symphoy, psaltery, orginistrum, organ, tabor and the rote. I
can sing a song well, and make tales to please young ladies, and can
play the gallant for them if necessary. I can throw knives into the air
and catch them without cutting my fingers.
I can jump rope most extraordinary and amusing. I can balance chairs,
and make tables dance.
I can somersault, and walk doing a handstand.
Refer to the
Medieval
Music
index for facts and information about all of the above Medieval musical
instruments.
The Jongleurs
and the Minstrels
The Minstrel was not as refined
or poetic as the Troubadour. The role of the Medieval Minstrel often required many
different entertainment skills due the expectations of their audiences.
Minstrels and even troubadours would therefore employ
Jongleurs as assistants. The skills of the
Jongleurs included the following:
-
Playing various Musical
Instruments
-
Reciting poems
-
Singing
-
Buffoonery which
eventually led to roles as
Jesters
-
Juggling
-
Acrobatics
-
Dancing
-
Fire eating
-
Conjuring
-
Animal trainers
- including animals such as dogs and monkeys in their shows
The
Demise of the Jongleurs
and the Minstrels
The Jongleurs gained a reputation of itinerant entertainers
of the Medieval times in France and Norman England. Another
type of performer of even lower rank than the Jongleurs were the gleemen, a travelling
entertainer. In time the Jongleurs disappeared. Their
reputations were such that they were replaced by the
Minstrels who also suffered from a similar stigma.
In 1469 a charter of
King Edward IV ordered all minstrels to join a
Guild. It was called the
Guild of Royal Minstrels. Medieval Minstrels were required to either join the
guild or to stop being minstrels.
The travelling musicians of the
Medieval era with their colorful lifestyle were eventually replaced by the court
musicians, jesters and entertainers. The
Waits became popular and extended their roles into
becoming town musicians.
The Waits
Medieval Music -
Jongleurs
The Medieval Times website provides interesting facts, history and information about the
musicians and styles of music which scatter the history books including
the Jongleurs. The Medieval Life and Times Sitemap provides full details of all
of the information and facts about the fascinating subject of the lives
of the people who lived during the historical period of the Middle Ages.
The content of this article on Jongleurs provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework for history courses and history coursework.
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