poisontasters
Poisontasters were individuals, often women, employed in royal courts and aristocratic households, particularly during the Renaissance and early modern periods, to test food and drink for poison before it was consumed by their employer. The practice arose from a climate of fear and suspicion, where assassination by poisoning was a real and present danger for rulers and the wealthy.
The role of a poisontaster was fraught with immense personal risk. They would ingest a small portion
While the exact origins and prevalence of poisontasters are not precisely documented, historical accounts suggest their