Cards History. Part 3

In Germany they are called hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs. Symbols are the same as in France. The initial German names were "acorn" (spades), "bells" (diamonds), "leaves" (clubs), and hearts. Ancient symbols are present on the modern cards and the former names are used sometimes by players.

In Spain they are called a little bit otherwise: cups, swords, golden coins and batons. Till the present time the second suit was symbolized by the sword, it spades came into its place while the name remained unchanged. Correspondingly, the stylized diamonds changed coins. The fourth suit retained the appearance as well as its name. The English borrowed the names of suits from different European sources. Hearts are identical to French and German names, while spades resemble Spanish and Italian appellations. The suit of diamonds is connected directly with the Italian name "valuables, money", though the picture is made in the form of rhomb. Clubs repeat Italian name, symbol is trefoil.

No artist has tried to make new symbols of suits for the last 500 years. From time to time such symbols as animals, flowers, birds, fish, home utensils, dishes appeared. In democratic and communist regimes people tried to picture presidents, commissars, manufactures, workers and even embody the concepts of liberty, equality, fraternity and health. In the beginning of the XV century in Germany there were packs where suits were pictured in the form of bowls for church donations, combs, blacksmith`s bellows and crowns. Artists from Spain and Italy followed the footsteps of their German brothers. The year of 1969 when South-African Union came out of British Commonwealth marked the last blast of card heraldry: hearts became powder barrels, diamonds - sticks for a tent, spades - wheels, clubs - shoes. Picture cards also changed the appearance: ace became president, king turned into commander, queen turned into dame, jack became a Boer.

In other states picture cards retained its image unchanged. The only thing that surrendered times were the real historic men that served as prototypes for card kings, queens and jacks. Initially, four kings symbolized four legendary rulers of the XIV century. Their images were pictured like people imagined them to be: Charlemagne (hearts), the king of francs from 768 to 800 A.D. and the emperor of Western Europe till 814; David (spades), the shepherd and singer who became the legendary Jewish ruler; Jules Caesar (diamonds) and Alexander of Macedon (clubs).