Rue La Verrerie in the 4th arrondissement is now a fairly unknown street, but until the 18th century the street was famous for the stained glass makers who lived there (hence the name La Verrerie, which comes from the word Ver, meaning glass). It is a charming street with some old buildings and I recommend walking along it when you are walking to (or from) the Marais. And if you find yourself on the street, stop for a moment in front of the relatively nondescript building at number 28. I have a little story to tell you.
How was the card game created?
From the beginning of the 15th century, a man with the interesting name Jacquemin Grigonneur lived here, in a building that no longer exists. This Jacquemin traveled in the Middle East and discovered playing cards there, which originally came from India. He quickly realized the commercial potential of these cards and when he returned to Paris, he created 3 series of colored cards (he used gold to color them, among other things) and brought them as a gift to the king. France Charles VI, who at that very time had lost his sanity and needed entertainment to distract him (you can read about that king's wife here).
The playing cards were a huge success at the royal court, and Jacqueman decided to create a version for the general public. Since it had been understood since the 15th century that the best way to sell a product was through the use of celebrities, Jacqueman decided to use prominent figures in the royal court as his “models.” As a result, the King of Hearts is based on a portrait of Charles VI, the wife of his son Charles VII was modeled as the Queen of Clubs, while Charles VII’s mistress, Agnes Sorel, served as the inspiration for the Queen of Diamonds. The place of Joan of Arc Not absent, and on which the figure of the Queen of the Leaf is based.
The card game was so successful in Paris that as early as 1397 a law was passed allowing it to be played only on weekends, after cases occurred where businesses went on strike because workers were busy playing cards. Card games reached their peak of popularity during the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715).
Secrets of Le Marais: A Journey into the Historic and Chic Heart of Paris
Join us on a virtual journey to the most fascinating district in Paris. Together we will discover hidden courtyards, French nobility, and the true stories behind the magnificent facades.
The Marquis de Dango Corresponds with Himself
Courtiers were expected to play like men of honor, meaning to win, or in most cases lose, huge sums of money, without batting an eyelid. Those who played well could not only win serious sums of money, but also advance to senior positions in the king's court, as Louis XIV loved good players.
For example, the Marquis de Dangeau won the king's favor thanks to his ability to maintain perfect concentration while playing cards, which made him invincible. After becoming a close friend of the King of France, Louis XIV discovered that Dangeau was not only a gifted card player but also a bookworm with a particularly witty writing style. Since Louis XIV was not gifted with writing talent, he used Dangeau's writing skills to write love letters to his mistress, the Duchess de la Vallière.
The problem was that Le Vallier had figured out this trick before him and she too had used the Marquis’ services to write love letters to the King of France. And so for a whole year, Dango wrote the King’s love letters and then, with the same skill, answered his own letters (it ended when Le Vallier confessed to the King and he in turn admitted that he also used the same writing services).
But let's get back to the card games of Louis XIV. The king's court played various games that came from different countries, such as Bassette, which came from Venice, and which was outlawed by Louis XIV after he lost a decent amount of money at it. Other games were Reversi, which came from Spain and was especially loved by the king, because it was created to provide employment for the Queen of France, while Louis XIV pursued his mistresses.
Another famous game was Lansquenet, which was brought to the court by soldiers from Germany and replaced rebus as the most popular card game among courtiers. For some reason, Lansquenet caused people who lost to it to use particularly foul language, to the point that Louis XIV was forced to issue a royal decree prohibiting courtiers from swearing after losing at cards.
Of course, sometimes losses in card games did not end in verbal violence but rather escalated into physical violence and a duel. And that brings me to the charming music video that the Israeli band Tislam recently made, in honor of their concert with the May Symphony Orchestra. The video is a tribute to the duel scene in the immortal film “Barry Lyndon,” which takes place in the 18th century. This charming video really makes me want to fly to Paris and visit the Marais or Versailles, and therefore, in my opinion, it is a perfect ending to this post.