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Agnieszka (courtier)
Agnieszka (died after 1572), was a Polish Court dwarf in service of Sophia Jagiellon, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg. She was the personal favorite and secretary of Sophia. Agnieszka was likely in the service of Sophia in Poland prior to her marriage. She did belong to the Polish retinue of 500 people accompanying Sophia from Poland to her new life in Germany upon her marriage to Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg in February 1556. In contrast to the majority of the Polish courtiers, Agnieszka remained with Sophia in her new court in Germany in Wolfenbüttel Castle. She had an influential position at court as the personal confidante and secretary of Sophia. She conducted the correspondence between Sophia and her powerful relatives, such as her brother the king of Poland and her sister the queen of Sweden. In 1568, she accompanied Sophia to her dower court, and assisted her in making it a cultural center. After 1572, she assisted Sophia in her work to defend her late brother's will. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Court Dwarf
Some of the first dwarfs to have their histories recorded were employed as court dwarfs. They were owned and traded amongst people of the court, and delivered as gifts to fellow kings and queens. Visual effect Court dwarfs were made to stand right next to the king or queen in a royal court during public appearances and ceremonies. Because they were so small, the king appeared much larger and visually enhanced his powerful position. Other than court jesters who were professional entertainers and clowns, court dwarfs were also used as "natural fools" to create amusement due to their unusual bodies. Their appearance also created allusions of mythology and magic like kobolds and wights. Antiquity Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome From the earliest historic times dwarfs attracted attention, and there was much competition on the part of kings and the wealthy to obtain dwarfs as attendants. Ancient Egypt saw dwarfs as being people with significant sacred associations, so owning a dwarf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
