Entertainers - Minstrels were entertainers who traveled from town to town, often in groups. Most minstrels were singers or musicians, but some had other skills as well. They juggled, did acrobatics, ordanced. Minstrels were known by different names in different parts of Europe. In Germany minstrels were called minnesingers, in France jongleurs, in Ireland bards. The most famous minstrels were those of southern France. They were called troubadours,from the Latin word that means "to compose." Many of the love poems they composed in the local language, Provencal, are still read and admired today. The troubadours were so famous that we know 500 of them by name.
Minstrel - A medieval poet and musician who sang or recited while accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, either as a member of a noble household or as an itinerant troubadour. He lived and traveled off the largess of the aristocracy.
Troubadour - Composers of epic poems, such as the Chansons de Geste, and love songs, often sung by wandering minstrels. One of a class of medieval lyric poets who flourished principally in southern France from the 11th to 13th centuries, and wrote songs and poems of a complex metrical form in langue d'oc, chiefly on themes of courtly love. Comparetrouvère.
Jongleur - French wandering minstrels (which included musicians, acrobats, jugglers, and clowns),usually from the lower class, who entertained with tales of epic battles and heroes.
Bard - A minstrel or poet who glorified the virtues of the people and his chieftains.
Gleeman - Saxon composer of songs
Mummers - Actors who re-enacted religious plays. Also used to refer to a masked or costumed merrymaker or dancer especially at a festival
Thespians - The ancient Greek word for an "actor," (hypocrites), means literally "one who interprets”;in this sense, an actor is one who interprets a dramatic character or personality. In the past, only men could become actors in some societies. In the ancient Greece and Rome and the medieval world, it was considered disgraceful for a woman to go on the stage,and this belief continued right up until the 17th century, when in Venice it was broken. In the time of William Shakespeare, women's roles were generally played by men or boys
Mage - A magician.