Jesters, The 'Fools' Who Once Entertained Royal Courts

Perkeo Of Heidelberg, The Jester Known For His Love Of Alcohol

Wikimedia CommonsPerkeo of Heidelberg was a cup-bearer to Prince Charles III Philip.

Perkeo of Heidelberg was born Clemens Pankert in 1702, and like many other jesters of the age, he was a dwarf. Fortunately for Perkeo, his short stature and sharp personality enabled him to fall into the good graces of Prince Charles III Philip of the Holy Roman Empire. Perkeo was brought to Heidelberg Castle as a teenager to work as the prince’s jester and cup-bearer.

It was in Heidelberg that Perkeo earned his moniker. According to the official website of Heidelberg Castle, Perkeo was rather fond of wine. Any time someone asked if he’d like another glass, he would respond in Italian, “Perché no?” which translates to: “Why not?”

Historical accounts claim that Perkeo drank anywhere between five and eight gallons of wine each day, and legend had it that he could empty the entire Heidelberg Tun, which held over 200,000 liters, in a single gulp. Ironically, he was also in charge of keeping track of the castle’s wine stocks.

Perkeo impressed the court with his various antics, pranks, and jokes — so much so that he has, in a sense, become the unofficial mascot for the town, with multiple statues of his personage decorating Heidelberg.

One popular legend says that Perkeo wound up living well into his 80s only ever having drunk wine until one day he fell ill. The story goes that a doctor instructed Perkeo to drink some water — and he died the next day.

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