Karnöffel

Karnöffel was a German card game of the 15th and 16th century. It is one of the oldest traditional card games.

Etymology

The origin of the word is uncertain. It is assumed that a derivation from an older Persian game called Kanjifah or similar. The word Karnöffel is used later in different contexts, for example, it can also refer to a hernia or a rough man with a tendency to violence.

Origin

The main card of the first attested in the order Nördlinger game 1426 game was the Karnöffel, the Cardinal represented by different interpretation (or mercenary ). Around the same time, in 1423, occurs in Italy, the term " Imperatori Cards" on (about 20 years later in Germany ) and the game Karnöffel is referred to in later documents in Germany as Keyserspiel ( the Latin Imperator says Kaiser) - from this not entirely coincidental acting relationship can be assumed that the two games were related.

In Karnöffel game next highest card of the Karnöffels other allegorical figures, which were projected onto specific cards, emperor, pope and devil figures in the later resulting precursors of the Tarot (earliest document 1441/1442 appear as a real map images again find. since the Italian Imperatori cards have multiple functions documentary in Ferrara in connection with the court of the Este and just this it can be speculated as the starting point of the Tarot cards ( well 2/3 of all early documents to Tarot come from Ferrara), arises in the playing cards research, but no reliable statements allow an unclear mixture of hard -to-interpret information, make a connection, the three developments Karnöffel - Imperatori - Tarot likely.

As you play the game exactly, is not known, but rudimentary information of the later period irritate repeatedly reconstruction attempts. Overall, it must be assumed that the Karnöffel as a game - has undergone several developments and was played by no means at all times the same way - as well as other card games.

The reference to the game often served as a political metaphor in satirical purposes. So Cyriacus Spangenberg polemic in his 1562 printed in Eisleben font Against the evil Seven, in the devil's Karnöffelspiel against the Counter-Reformation ( VD16 S- 7727 ).

The game is displayed on the altar of Mr. Berger Jörg Ratgeb where it play dressed as mercenaries guard. Therefore Wilhelm Fraenger has dedicated him a small digression in his Ratgeb book.

The game is being cared for by the Willisauer Karnöffelzunft, a company founded in 1891 Shrove society. Related games are played ( the imperial game especially in Nidwalden and Uri) and in Scandinavia ( Stýrivolt in the Faroe Islands ) until today in Switzerland.