Re: The Order of The Stick

11
Huck wrote: I would assume, that in 14th century they hadn't much knight orders, but as with other things, Italy started to blossom again, when the pope came back, and Italian started to miss something in all their growing wealth, honor, titles, European acceptance. So they imported customs from elsewhere, between also this idea of the knight orders.
I agree these Orders were imported ideas from France and Germany. It seems to be mostly for a term, for a specific purpose. In the case of Milan, apart from Ceremonial and tournament-type things, these seem to be for Charitable causes. They got their sponsors, they arranged the Motto to reflect the scheme, and arranged a symbol that appeared on the building. It is like here- The Starship Hospital for Children has major sponsor 'McDonalds' and 'Friends of the Starship' who raise the money. So when they built a wing, there is the the Golden Arches of McDonalds, with the 'Friends' Motto.
It takes some networking as did seem the Networking of the Orders- between cities- between Monarchs- between the Church and the project.

I no longer believe that just because there was a Visconti symbol on the cards- that means the cards were made by a Visconti for a Visconti person. Take this coin for example. On the reverse side the description is this......
The Duke in armor galloping to the right, raised his sword, the armor is decorated with the Duke of Visconti snake.
Cannot scan because of Book spine.
But no...It is Francesco Sforza's coin.
Another Coin has the added symbol of Horse Brush and blanket- it is also Francesco Sforza's.I can link it
because it is on the web. http://www.sixbid.com/nav.php?p=viewlot ... 8&lot=1174
So I guess the point I was making is....
You look at a building that Francesco built/sponsored/ was patron, and you see the symbol and the Motto and you find the Order that was formed to build it, see the artwork that supports the idea- like Our Lady of the Annuciation and the Saints- you get the almost complete picture.
I feel the same about the Visconti Cards.
They are showing a specific Motto 'Bon Droit'. It appears they were for a purpose besides the game. I do not think this deck is a lost visual document from the Templar or such Order [-x I do think they were advertising a cause- a goal- something that was been built- not a marriage. That something needed the support of 'Orders' either in a moral sense like the idealistic Motto, or in a Physical sense like Sponsors. It seems that cards were needed when groups got to together socially and politically and these cards in particular seem to be some sort of Public Relations ploy.They appear to be a visual Motto something like.....
"Virtue, Duty, Unity, Truth and Justice. We believe in Loyalty and Compassion, Duty above wealth, Justice above the law and Truth above all. From this comes Peace" (totally fabricated Motto)
Let the Games Begin!
(They do not look like, to me, a Salvation sequence)
~Lorredan
The Universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
Eden Phillpotts