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Card games, ancient times and middle ages
In order to establish where exactly solitaire games (or solitaire online, very popular nowadays) come from, it is important to find out more about the history of card games and how a deck of cards was formed.
No-one really knows when the first card games were played and what nation invented them and therefore historians from various countries attempt to prove that card games derive from their homeland.
Most probably card games come from Asia which was the birthplace of many ancient inventions. In the eleventh century in 1120 A.D. card games were already subject to emperors’ edicts. Such edict was issued by emperor Hsuahno of the Sung dynasty – he acknowledged that Tien-kiu card game was ‘obligatory’, whatever that meant. That is why it is presumed that card games as well as decks of cards used to play must have already been an established tradition back then.
The issue of introduction of card games in the European countries remains unresolved. Famous 13th century poets and writers, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, Francesco Petrarca or Giovanni Boccaccio, made references in their works to various games, however they had never mentioned card games which suggests that they were still unheard of. First mention of card games had been made in the 14th century – they probably reached Europe as a result of the Crusades, as the returning knights introduced various Arabian customs and novelties.
However, it is also possible that the first card games were played in Spain and were introduced by the Moores. King Charles VI of France ordered three sets of painted cards and that information was noted in the register of royal expenses – it is the reason to believe that card games were popular at that time.
At the end of the 14th century card games were so widespread, that they were banned on week days by the Mayor of Paris.
In further sections of this article we will find out more about the history of card games as well as solitaire games. |
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Card games, ancient times and middle ages.
No-one really knows when the first card games were
played. 
Formation of court cards, decks and terminology.
Let’s now look at the history behind a deck of cards.
History of solitaire games.
Where did solitaire games come from?
Elements of solitaire tableau.
The solitaire game consists in arranging specific configurations out of the available cards.
Solitaire glossary.
Apart from the layout it is worth to get acquainted with the basic terms used for different moves during a game of solitaire.
Other solitaire terms.
It's good to become familiar with these terms, as they are used in the explanation of the rules
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