In the royal courts of Renaissance France, power was a performance—and the deadliest mistake was believing your own applause. That’s why jesters mattered. They were “licensed” to say what no noble dared. And one of the most infamous was Nicolas Ferrial, remembered as Triboulet. Triboulet served under Louis XII and later Francis I, a king surrounded by flattery, rivalry, and constant intrigue. Contemporary tradition describes Triboulet as physically deformed—an easy target outside the palace—but

6.9K views · 193 reactions | Francis I, the powerful and generous...