Cards were not introduced into Medieval Europe until the second half of the 14th century. At this time they were referred to as “Saracen Cards,” and were brought to Europe by merchants. Cities were burgeoning with rural folk who had survived the Plague and moved to the urban centers. Here, they became a new group of middle class merchants and craftspeople. With the easing of the poverty and ignorance that marked the middle ages, new trade groups, guilds, and universities began to emerge once again, and science was no longer relegated to sorcerers. There was more time for the pursuit of pleasure, leisure, and play.
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