Skill in navigating court politics, or the art and cunning required to succeed in royal courts and among nobility through manipulation and diplomacy.
From 'court' (royal residence and government center) + 'craft' (skill, cunning). This compound emerged in medieval and Renaissance literature to describe the sophisticated skills needed for court survival.
Cardinal Richelieu was a master of courtcraft—he understood that maintaining power at the court of Louis XIII required not just intelligence but an intricate understanding of favors, alliances, secrets, and theatrical display.
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