Start 14 century - 1414 1414 - 1418 1423 - .... around 1440 1441
a second playing card fever
1. Carlo Malatesta was there in important function, as the first man in the interests of one of the 3 popes. When Parisina, the most active person in matters of card playing in early Ferrara, arrived there in the age of 14 (in the year 1418) to marry Niccolo III., probably (only my conclusion) she imported the playing card interests. Probably she got the fever from the Carlo Malatesta court in Rimini, where she lived before. When she was killed in 1425, we perceive a pause of 9 years, before card playing returned to Ferrara. This impression might be due to "accidently missing documents", but might also due to reality at the court, and that might have been "without Parisina no card-playing".
2. Cosimo Medici and other people from Florence were in Constance with a strong delegation, active in the interests of John XXIII. In 1423 the Imperatori-decks from here are exported to Ferrara and it seems, that they are "new" in Ferrara, so probably a relatively new invention, the whole idea being possibly developed at the opportunity of the council of constance.
3. The Michelino deck with its original looking design, which lets it connect with some security to the personal taste of Filippo Maria Visconti himself (see my interpretations), also appears in the right time (not before 1417, cause Michelino is not in Milano, short after or parallel to the council).
4. In music theory it's a clear statement, that the council took strong influences just by causing a
meeting of many musicians from many countries, leaving fresh impulses to anybody attending. Here is mainly the above mentioned Carlo Malatesta noted, who invited Dufue to his court. Perhaps cause of this stay of the great artist in Rimini we find later a harp in the personal possessions of Parisina - one of the first signs of "Music in Ferrara", which developed into a great success story with the time.
Similar it must be for card-playing, and there were lots of people with "free time" at the council.
5. Card-playing in Germany must have had far less prohibition than in Italy - so I do conclude with some unsecurity from few documents only. It is said, that in number one half of the delegations at the council were from Italy.
So Italians perceived an unknown playing card freedom at the council - together with probably alternative ideas about games, new ways to play etc..The result was fresh input in Italian playing card-life, probably under this influence was something similar to the Imperatori-decks.
6. The appearance of San Bernardino as "great preacher" since 1417 is another sign of the council
and its ideas - he was not positively reacting, of course, but developed the same new interest to organise ten thousands of people (this he did learn from the council, I guess), and one of his points was preaching against the new fever of card-playing, which had gained a "new quality" after the council in Italy.
7. Probably there were two card-fever periodes: Once around 1380, when it spread in rapid ways, then probably happened a longer distance in time when card-playing was accustomed and not a great danger, and then a new phase with new fever after the council - with new and stronger counter reactions.
The Trionfi-fever-periode (14-card-decks) seems to have appeared in the 50ies of 15th century - 30 entries in the Ferrarese account books speak this language, an entry from Florence, other from Milan.
Council of Constance (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Council of Constance (EWTN)
Decrees at the Council (Session 1-6)
Council of Constance (short)
Errors of John Hus
Errors of John Wytcliffe
Report with pictures from the council, ca. 1430
Start 14 century - 1414 1414 - 1418 1423 - .... around 1440 1441
If you want to return to this site, bookmark this page or use the "back" button of your browser.