I took a sidepath to another system of Conradus Bollstatter. This (possibly) is related to the Fortuna wheel with animals shown in the post before:
The description of the passage in the lot book collection of Bollstatter:
http://bilder.manuscripta-mediaevalia.d ... 00_JPG.htm
The analyses of the text had come to the opinion, that the points 12. and 13. (which relates to the wheel of animals) wouldn't belong to the earlier lot book with 16 questions, 12 circles and 16 Kings and 16 groups of four.
I'm in doubt about this.
Here starts the lot book:
You can see all pictures in large at
https://bildsuche.digitale-sammlungen.d ... &nav=&l=es
On the 12 circles ...
(12 mountains
12 birds
12 animals
12 spices
12 plants
12 fishes
12 gems
12 apostles
12 trees
12 prophets
12 rivers
12 cities)
... follow 16 kings ...
The last king is the king of Bohemia:
After the 16 Kings follow the 16 groups with 4 items each:
Then - so say the analyses of other researchers - the lot book is finished. However, it follow 2 other groups with 4 items: 4 angels and 4 cardinal virtues:
... different to the design of the 16 pages before, but each with 4 figures.
And after this the wheel of the animals comes, that I presented already a post before, and after this an empty page, somehow a sign, as if here is the end of the lot book and not 3 pages before.
I analysed the 16 themes after the 16 Kings and before last 2 (4 angels and 4 virtues). One would expect somehow an order of 4x4, but it isn't, actually it has more of a 5x3+1 order (though the row looks a little confused).
The order, as it is given in the book:
(1) 135r Altväter (Patriarchs: Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph)
(2) 135v pagan masters (Socrates, Aristoteles, Seneca, Alexander)
(3) 136r Evangelists (Mark, John, Lucas, Matthew)
(4) 136v Teachers (Gregorius, Hieronymus, Agustinus, Ambrosius)
(5) 137r Einsiedler (Hermits: Berchtoldus, Menrachus, Wernherus, Paulus)
(6) 137v Bishops (Mainz, Passau, Cologne, Trier)
(7) 138r weltliche Fürsten (Markgraf of Brandenburg, Duke of Brabant, Duke of Saxony, Landgraf of Alsace)
(8) 138v Grafen (counts: der lanndgrave, der burggrave, der grauchgrave,
der grave von Ötingen)
(9) 139r Elements (fire, water, air, earth)
(10) 139v Gralsritter (Parzival, Titurel, Wigalois, Lohengrin)
(11) 140r Ritter von der Tafelrunde (Artus, Ruther, Tristan, Lancelot)
(12) 140v Winds (East, West, North, South)
(13) 141r Forests (Thüringer Wald, Schwarzwald, Kessler waldt, Böhmerwald)
(14) 141v Pagans (Tyttus, Kathon, Darius, Salygon)
(15) 142r Recken (heroes of the Nibelungen: Günther, Haym, Wyttig, Hagen)
(16) 142v Buhler (Minnesänger [poets]: Wolffram von Eschenbach, Moringer, Premberger, Fuß)
The grave von Öttingen (Bollstatter's commissioner) in the text gives the sign, that Bollstatter had here possibly "personal ideas".
The groups in a 5x3-scheme (as I see it):
A. (1
in the row of Bollstatter) Patriarchs (Jews) - (2) Pagan Masters (Pagans) - (3) Evangelists (Christian)
B. (5)
Hermits - (14) Pagans - (4) Teachers (Christians)
C. (6) Bishops - (7) weltliche Fürsten - (8)
Grafen
D. (9) Elements - (12) Winds - (13)Forests
E. (10) Gralsritter - (11) Ritter von der Tafelrunde - (15)Recken
--------
F. (16) Minnesänger - [17] Angels - [18] cardinal virtues
The category "Hermits" looks "wrong composed". Possibly once Jewish prophets were replaced by local Hermits. Jewish prophets would make sense at this place. But perhaps this was changed, cause Jewish prophets had a constant role in lot books.
The category "Grafen" looks like chosen for the friendship to the Graf of Öttingen, the groups Bishops + worldly Fürsten should stand for the group of Electors: But ...
The Markgraf of Brandenburg became "Kurfürst" in the year 1356.
The duke of Saxony became "Kurfürst" in the same year 1356.
Both actions likely had their context by the "Goldene Bulle".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Bull_of_1356
The Landgraf of Alsace (later Ludwig III. von der Pfalz; Ludwig III. was involved in the production of the lot book system with 32 animals) became "Kurfürst" in the year 1410. But ... it gives reason to think about the condition, that ...
Ludwig X. von Oettingen, † 1370, Landgraf im Elsass, [XVI 98], verkauft 1359 an
Johann von Lichtenberg, † 1365, 1345 kaiserlicher Kanzler und Landvogt im Elsass, 1353 Bischof von Straßburg [XI 73]
Johann II. von Vinstingen, † nach 1379, 1348 Landvogt im Elsass [XI 45]
Wenzel I. von Luxemburg, † 1383, 1354 Herzog von Luxemburg, um 1367/77 Landvogt im Elsass (Haus Luxemburg)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der ... _im_Elsass
... that a Landgraf from the count of Öttingen family once had been Landgraf in the Alsace, and somehow participated in an action, in which Emperor Charles IVs son Wenzel (later Roman king 1376 (1378) - 1400) became Landgraf of Alsace, possibly his first title (1367 ?).
From the title "duke of Brabant" it's not known, that it ever had the title "Kurfürst", but it's obvious, that Wenzel, duke of Brabant and half-brother to emperor Charles IV, was a very powerful man during the reign of Emperor Charles IV. Wenzel had in 1379-1383 a lot of recorded playing card bills in his account books. Wenzel was duke of Brabant in 1355-1383.
From this analysis it seems, that the lot book scheme might have been done in the time of Emperor Charles IV, perhaps in a time, when Wenzel (son of Emperor Charles IV, born in 1361) was already born. Charles IV made then a lot of operations to secure his succession.
Naturally Conradus Bollstatter around 1450 or little later had opportunity to change a few things in the favor of his probable commissioner, the current count of Öttingen:
http://genealogy.euweb.cz/oett/oett1.html
F2. Friedrich III, Gf von Oettingen, +23.1.1423; 1m: Elisabetta di Carrara (+by 24.5.1395); 2m: 1397 Euphemia von Münsterberg (+17.11.1447); all kids by 2m.
G1. Friedrich IV, Gf von Oettingen, +2.9.1439
G2. Wilhelm, Gf von Oettingen zu Oettingen, +13.4.1467; m.1431 Beatrice della Scala (+14.2.1466)
H1. Friedrich, Bp of Passau, *1453, +3.3.1490
There are twice Italian women in the close Öttingen family and there is an astonishing "bishop of Passau", born in 1453, especially astonishing as it is an oldest son (oldest sons seldom took a career in the church) and especially astonishing as a bishop of Passau had a position in the lot book beside the bishop of Cologne, the bishop of Mainz and the bishop of Trier (all 3 also Kurfürsten).
And this bishop von Öttingen became bishop in Passau (1486-1490) AFTER Bollstatter wrote his lot book.
Indeed there was an interesting bishop of Passau, who had a big role in early German literature.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfger_von_Erla
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfger_von_Erla
He seems to have had influence on the author of the Nibelungen saga. And he had influence of authors of the Gral story. And possibly also on the stories of Ritters of the Tafelrunde. And all of these appear in the lot book. And there are poets (Minnesänger) mentioned in the text, which belong to his time.
So possibly the lot book had a very early redaction around 1205, then a later revival occurred in the time of Charles IV after his son Wenzel was born, and a later redaction happened Conradus Bollstatter with some favor for the counts of Öttingen. Likely the current count of Öttingen intended to remember on their earlier more important role in German history with this production.
The Öttinger dynasty had developed with some context to the Staufer dynasty (which had their original land possession near the region of the Grafstadt Öttingen), the castle Hohenstaufen has 90 km distance to Öttingen. Öttingen is near to Nördlingen, from which we have the first note about Karnöffel in playing card history. After the fall of the Staufer naturally also the role of Öttingen declined.
The Öttinger bishop in Passau ...
Friedrich Graf von Öttingen wurde am 2. Dezember 1485 zum Bischof von Passau ernannt und am 15. Februar 1486 als solcher bestätigt. Er regierte jedoch skrupellos wie ein italienischer Stadttyrann und verunzierte so die Reihe der Passauer Oberhirten. Als er 1490 in Linz am Kaiserhof überraschend starb, munkelte man von Giftmord.
http://regiowiki.pnp.de/index.php/%C3%96ttingen
He reigned in Passau like an Italian city despot. When he died in 1490 surprisingly in Linz at the Emperor court, some voices talked about murder by poison.
*************
Back to the lot book scheme:
I wrote ...
The groups in a 5x3-scheme (as I see it):
A. (1 in the row of Bollstatter) Patriarchs (Jews) - (2) Pagan Masters (Pagans) - (3) Evangelists (Christian)
B. (5)Hermits - (14) Pagans - (4) Teachers (Christians)
C. (6) Bishops - (7) weltliche Fürsten - (8) Grafen
D. (9) Elements - (12) Winds - (13)Forests
E. (10) Gralsritter - (11) Ritter von der Tafelrunde - (15)Recken
--------
F. (16) Minnesänger - [17] Angels - [18] cardinal virtues
In this (perhaps "more original") order the Minnesänger might have had a splendid role, possibly in the time of early Passau bishop with literary interests.
The last 19th figure (a wheel of Fortune with animal roles) reminds the other lot book with 22-22-22-22 scheme (Pope with donkey) ... in the earlier discussions it was also suspected, that this came from a similar region.
The 16 figures model might have developed later (in the time of Charles IV).
If we look precisely:
16 Kings and 4x16 others look like 16 trumps and 64 others in the Cary-Yale Tarocchi, just in the view of the scheme, which was used.
The lot book had also cardinal virtues:
**********************
Bolte (1903) refers to this part of the text:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... Band_4.pdf
p. 311
Bolte notes a second edition of this Losbuch in 1532:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... Band_4.pdf
p. 312
... I found it here:
https://bildsuche.digitale-sammlungen.d ... riff=&l=en
... though only as a project.
... also here as an object of a sale
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auct ... 2f00f24780
... also here (English description)
https://www.vialibri.net/item_pg_i/4948 ... ie-bey.htm
Bolte's comment to this book:
*****************
A heraldry sign of the counts of Öttingen in 1340
(according
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oettingen ... eschlecht) )
... no dogs, as far I see it ...
A heraldry sign of counts of Öttingen in 1450-80 (the time, when Bollstatter wrote)

... a dog, if I interpret this correctly.
The dogs look a little more like lions
more like a dog
more like a dog