If I say leaf game or mamelukes, does that mean anything to you?
You certainly know their descendants the playing cards.
The playing cards were born thanks to a derivative of the Indian divinatory dice.
Between 618 and 907 Princess Tongchang then played the leaf game with her in-laws.
As early as the 11th century, Mongolian merchants from Asia reportedly brought them back to Europe along with silk.
It was also in the 14th century that they could have entered via Venice through the Egyptian Mamluk.
This 52-card deck is the one that most closely resembles our current deck.
Progress in printing facilitates their distribution throughout Europe and operates in 4 series (heart, bell, leaf, acorn in Germany; sword, stick, cup and coin in Spain and Italy).
The game that eventually became the "standard" is the French game as we know it with its clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades.
It was only during the French Revolution that the ace became stronger than the king to signify the power of the people over the king.
Jokers were not introduced until the end of the 19th century.
Did you know that the king of diamonds is inspired by Julius Caesar and the jack of clubs Lancelot du Lac?
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