History Main / CourtMage

* ''Film/TheTenCommandments1956'': Jannes the High Priest of Egypt, as played by Douglas Dumbrill, is also one of these. But although the demonstration of his powers with turning his rod into that of a cobra is clearly real, Moses through God humiliates him in front of his pharoah and the Royal Court by Moses' rod turned cobra swallowing his, and then discrediting him and his gods by causing plagues that Jannes clearly proves unable to prevent.

** Played with in ''Literature/{{Mort}}''. When Princess Kelli becomes all but unnoticable to non-wizards, she appoints the mage Cutwell, to be her Royal Recognizer. He also fills this trope, albeit incompetently.

* ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'' shows many examples of this trope with the side's casters. In [[RPGMechanicsverse Erf]], casters are the units able to use magic and owners of special sense related to their discipline. They are popped randomly by a side and, although the respect they get is widely dependent on the side they popped in and their especific discipline, are generally considered a very useful asset. In sides with many casters there's even a position called: [[TheArchmage Chief Caster]], which is a high rank position but still below Chief Warlord.

* ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'': The Office of Vizieral Council are an [[PrestigeClass Entitlement]] based on serving as TheGoodChancellor to their [[FaerieCourt Court]], but Viziers need to be well-trained in the occult and can learn new [[MagicByAnyOtherName Contracts]] at a reduced XP cost. Their founder was a [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity mad archmage]] who bound himself to service in order to preserve the last shred of his sanity.

* ''Film/TheTenCommandments'': Jannes the High Priest of Egypt, as played by Douglas Dumbrill, is also one of these. But although the demonstration of his powers with turning his rod into that of a cobra is clearly real, Moses through God humiliates him in front of his pharoah and the Royal Court by Moses' rod turned cobra swallowing his, and then discrediting him and his gods by causing plagues that Jannes clearly proves unable to prevent.

* Many [[WitchSpecies Qirsi]] have this as a profession in ''The Winds of the Forelands''.

** The [[WitchSpecies Sartan]] are a powerful WitchSpecies, but those of [[LethalLavaLand Abarrach]] have lost most of their magic, the chief exception being {{Necromancer}}s. Some of their rulers (like [[EvilOverlord Dynast Kleitus]]) are necromancers themselves; those who are not tend to keep a necromancer as an advisor. Baltazar, Court Necromancer to the king of Kairn Telest, is a significant character in the third book.
** When discussing the distant past, the Sartan leader [[KnightTemplar Samah]] describes how the Sartan's rivals, the Patryns (also a WitchSpecies) would often take this role and use it to manipulate [[{{Muggles}} mensch]] governments without sitting on the throne. He gets rather defensive when the person he's talking to points out that the Sartan [[NotSoDifferentRemark used to do the same thing]].

* Cimorene, from ''Literature/TheEnchantedForestChronicles'', learned some magic from her father's court mage before she was told that magic wasn't a proper pursuit for princesses.

* Delfador in ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth''.

->'''The Dragonborn''': Does [Prince] Ulfric have much need for magic?\\

* Played with in ''Literature/{{Mort}}''. When Princess Kelli becomes all but unnoticable to non-wizards, she appoints the mage Cutwell, to be her Royal Recognizer. He also fills this trope, albeit incompetently.

->'''The Dragonborn''': Does [Prince] Ulfric have much need for magic?
->'''Wuunferth the Unliving''': No, but then I don't have much need for Ulfric.

** In ''Videogame/DragonAgeInquisition'', Vivienne was the former Court Enchanter of Orlais. While this originally more or less amounted to the role of a court jester who performs parlor tricks for nobles, she managed to make it into a role of influence. However, by the time of the game, the the title has been taken by [[LadyOfBlackMagic Morrigan]], something that Vivienne is still incredibly bitter about.

** [[PlayingWithFire Melisandre]] serves as a combination of court mage/religious adviser/oracle to [[KnightTemplar Stannis]]. In later books, [[spoiler: [[TheNecromancer Qyburn]]]] becomes this to [[spoiler: [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Cersei]]]], and [[spoiler: [[EthnicMagician Moqorro]]]] to [[spoiler: [[PirateKing Victarion]]]]. [[NobleFugitive Danaerys]] briefly has [[WitchClassic Mirri Maz Duur]], but it ends badly for both of them.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' have Mordain serving King Argon in "The Good, The Bad, And The Smurfy", and Morlock serving Prince Theodore in "The Prince And The Hopper". Both are evil mages who seek to take over their kingdoms, and both were deposed from their positions with the help of the Smurfs.

* Creator/JeremyIrons plays one of these (also an EvilChancellor) in the ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons'' movie.

* If the Daughter from ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker 2'' is a good enough mage, has a decent Faith ''and'' her Intelligence is higher than her Sensitivity, [[http://princessmaker.wikia.com/wiki/Court_Magician_Ending_(PM2) one of her prospect endings]] will have her appointed as the Court Magician of her kingdom.

** When discussing the distant past, the Sartan leader [[KnightTemplar Samah]] describes how the Sartan's rivals, the Patryns (also a WitchSpecies) would often take this role and use it to manipulate [[{{Muggles}} mensch]] governments without sitting on the throne. He gets rather defensive when the person he's talking to points out that the Sartan [[NotSoDifferent used to do the same thing]].

* Elluka Clockworker (played by [[Music/{{Vocaloid}} Luka Megurine]]) from ''Franchise/EvilliousChronicles'' was this during the time of "Daughter of Evil" and one key plot element was that she [[{{Seers}} foresaw the execution of Princess Riliane in a dream]]. [[spoiler:Her prediction came true, though not quite in the way she expected]].

In fantasy series it's fairly common for a king or other high-ranking ruler to [[StandardRoyalCourt keep a magic-user]] [[StealthPun on staff]], primarily to provide mystical advice and services, and possibly general wisdom as well. Can also show up in historical fiction or even RealLife, as during time periods when sorcery was widely believed in, having a mage or alchemist on hand was generally seen as a smart idea. The character can be TheGoodChancellor, the EvilChancellor, or anything in-between.

* [[RealityWarper Reality-warping]] mage ''Mr Mxyzptlk'' from the ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' comics is a [[TheJester court jester]] in his home dimension. The mage thing probably isn't a big deal there because everyone in his world has similar powers.

* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'', Orko was a ridiculously powerful [[TheArchmage archmage]] in his home dimension but got stranded on Eternia, working as King Randor's [[TheJester jester]] because magic works differently on Eternia vs Trollia.

* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'', Orko was a ridiculously powerful [[TheArchmage archmage]] in his home dimension but got stranded on Eternia, working as King Randor's [[TheJester jester]] because magic works differently in in Eternia vs Trollia.

* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'', Orko was a ridiculously powerful [[TheArchmage archmage]] in his home dimension but got stranded on Eternia, working as King Randor's [[TheJester jester]] because magic works differently in our world.

* Rafiki from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'' is the Seer or Witch Doctor variant, seeing he's able to divine things and communicate with Mufasa's spirit. His position is also highly respected, seeing the animals bow to him as he makes his way during The Circle of Life.

* Rasputin in ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}'' was said to be the court mystic for the Romanovs but he was banished for [[NoodleIncident treachery in a mysterious incident]], leading to him becoming an EvilSorcerer. The writer of the Creator/DonBluth film said he was inspired to create his Rasputin based off of myths about the real Rasputin mentioned in the real life section, feeling it would fit the [[HistoricalFantasy fairy tale style]] adaptation of real-life history.