Hofämterspiel - The Oldest Complete Deck of Cards

Hofämterspiel cards

Hofämterspiel is one of the earliest complete preserved decks of playing cards. Handmade in the 15th century, this 48-card set was commissioned by Ladislaus the Posthumous, King of Hungary and Bohemia. The cards were found amongst Archduke Ferdinand II's collection of art treasures, along with a deck named Ambraser Hofjagdspiel (though this is incomplete). Hofämterspiel's four suits carry the coats of arms of France, Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary. This deck beautifully illuminates the political and dynastic relationships in late medieval Central Europe in tempera paint and gold leaf.

Nerryn and Narr, The Fool cards

WHAT'S ON THE CARDS?

Titled in archaic German, Hofämterspiel's illustrations depict a variety of court functions during the late Middle Ages. The cards are labelled 1 to 10 in Roman numerals, except for the king and queen which are the only ones whose occupation is not stated.

The social statuses of the characters in the deck are demonstrated by the higher or lower values of each card. Across each of the four kingdoms, there are comparable occupations with similar social ranks. For example, Bohemia's 'Physician' and Germany's 'Chaplain' would have shared roughly equal status and thus they are both featured on the VIII card. Conversely, some roles are present across all four kingdoms such as the 'Fool' which is demonstrative of some of the social continuities that existed across 15th century Europe. Perhaps Ladislaus' courtly players delighted in recognising some familiar characters! 

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH HOFÄMTERSPIEL?

Hofämterspiel translates as 'Courtly Household Game' and as such the characters depict positions held in real European courts during the Middle Ages. Indeed, what makes these cards so interesting to us today is the light they shed on everyday life in late medieval courts. The cards' numerical ranking system gives us a clear indication of the important jobs in the court and its hierarchy. For example, the highest ranking non-royal in the deck is the 'Household Master' whose job it would be to run the court and deputise for the ruler in his absence. 

However, it's not just men who have a role to play - many women also feature prominently in Hofämterspiel. There were many women at court and thus a fifth of the cards depict female characters. It's particularly noteworthy that these women are present across the cards' hierarchy - Queens, a Household Mistress, Ladies-in-waiting, a Potter, and even two female Fools (Nerryn)!

L to R: Queen, Lady-in-waiting, female Fool, Household Mistress, and Potter.

Whilst there is little written about this deck and its use, the design and ranking scheme suggests that Hofämterspiel was likely a trick-taking game, like whist or contract bridge, in which the Fools could act as jokers. We can only speculate about its use, but it is pleasing to imagine King Ladislaus and his courtly company trying to one-up each other over a game of Hofämterspiel!

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into courtly leisure time and do let me know if you'd like to hear more about historical games in the comments or on Twitter.

Until next time,

James, an Anorak