The Contemporary History of Fiasco

1308        Dante Alghieri begins writing the Divine Comedy.  “You were not made to live as brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.”  This brilliant literary work will define the region of northern Italy for the next 250 years.

 1335        The world’s first public clock is erected in the town square in Milan.

 1371        The first recorded date of playing cards in Europe.  Since paper was invented in the Orient, so too were playing cards.  Some suggest that Marco Polo brought them to Venice in 1295, but this is unlikely.  Chances are, they crossed the Middle East from the Orient, then arrived in the ports of Venice and Genoa from Egypt and Israel.

 1378            The Great Schism divides the papacy between Italy and France.

 1379        The navies of Venice and Genoa battle for supremacy.  Venice wins and Genoa never recovers.

 1380        Playing cards start to spread to other cities in southern Europe including Florence, Rome, Milan, Paris, and Barcelona.

 1382        Florence’s government falls and powerful families rule the city.

 1385        The Visconti family rule Milan.

 1406        Florence acquires Pisa and gains access to the sea.

 1409        France loses control of Genoa and Milan takes over.

 1434        The Medici family of wealthy bankers takes over control of Florence under the leadership of Cosimo.  The Medici bank also controls the money in Rome and collects taxes from the Pope.  The family has strong political power as well as an astounding passion for the arts.

 1435        The official start of the Italian Renaissance.

 1435        Donatello creates the bronze statue of David

 1437        A popular street performer named Fiasco delights audiences in Florence with his clever tricks, juggling routines, and acrobatics.  He also duels with skilled swordsmen for money.

 1440        Florence and Venice form an alliance against Milan.

 1440        Fiasco secretly becomes a private jester for the wealthy Medici family in Florence.

 1442        The Visconti hear about the “funny little man in Florence” and make a request for Fiasco to perform in Milan.  Since Fiasco is a street performer, they are unaware of his direct connection to Medici.  The Medici plots to assassinate the Visconti and offer to pay Fiasco a large sum of money to commit the crime. 10,000 gold florins in advance and 10,000 when the deed is done.

 1443        Fiasco travels to Milan and performs a private show for the Visconti.  They admire his acrobatics, juggling skills, and quick wit.  Unsuspecting to the Medici’s plot, the Visconti’s guards are caught unaware. Fiasco’s sword is held at Visconti’s throat.  The public clock strikes five, and the court falls silent.  Fiasco does not kill Visconti.  Instead he makes another deal to spare his life in exchange for 10,000 gold florins, a horse, and Visconti’s personal 8-string mandolin.  Fiasco flees to Venice where he lives in luxurious exile.

 1443        Fiasco’s humiliation of the Visconti receives huge admiration in Venice.  Local actors re-enact Fiasco’s actions on stage.  They start wearing masks to hide Fiasco’s identity.  The mask later becomes a part of Venetian culture.  The story of the clever thief who steals from the rich spreads throughout Europe.  When it reaches England, the story blends with other local tales to create the character Robin Hood.

 1449        Antonio Columbo becomes the caretaker of the Genoa lighthouse.  His nephew, Christopher Columbus is born in Genoa in 1451.  Giovanni Caboto is also born there in 1450.

 1450        The Sforza family takes over control of Milan.  The Visconti family are defeated and humiliated.  The word fiasco becomes defined as a “humiliating defeat.”

 1450        Florence, Naples, and Milan now form a peaceful alliance and balance of power.  Art, science, and political discussions flourish in this new setting that encourages independence, equality, and freedom of thought.

 1453        Venice looses Constantinople to the Turks.

 1455        German Johann Gutenberg invents the printing press.  This revolutionizes the distribution of knowledge throughout Europe.

 1457        Fiasco disappears and is thought to be dead.

 1458        Playing cards and the Fiasco story are married in Venice.  A new playing card game is created to commemorate Fiasco’s adventures.  Fiasco’s card is given the value of five, because he is neither rich nor poor.  Five was also the striking hour when the Visconti fell. Six suits are chosen that best represent Fiasco’s life. The game becomes popular in the merchant ports of Venice, Genoa, and Pisa.

 1461        Giovanni Caboto moves to Venice and becomes a citizen in 1476.  He loves to play cards.

 1469        Lorenzo “The Magnificent” Medici rules Florence.  He becomes the godfather of the Renaissance. Machiavelli born in Florence 1469.

 1476        One of Columbus’ ships sinks off the coast of Portugal.  There are no records of Fiasco cards being embraced by the locals in the port cities of Barcelona or Portugal.  It is an unusual Italian game that cannot be played with Spanish cards on the "decks" of ships. A "set" of cards becomes defined as a "deck" of cards.

 1478        The Pazzi family forcefully try to take control of Florence.  The Italian word “pazzi” means “crazy.”

 1480        The French standardize their playing cards to the suits of clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds.  The French deck is mass-produced on the printing press.

 1492        Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, discovers the New World.  On board his ships are several decks of Fiasco playing cards.  The crew refuses to trade the cards with the natives.  Miniature jingle bells are selected to be traded instead.  Jingle bells become a part of American culture.

 1494        Charles VIII of France invades and takes control of Florence.  The assault continues into Rome and Naples. French suited cards are introduced to northern Italy.

 1495        The Venetians force the French out of Italy.

 1497        Giovanni Caboto sails for England under the name John Cabot, and discovers Canada’s east coast.  Vespucci names the new world “America.”  He sails for Spain and discovers Central and South America. Aboard both ships the crew play Fiasco to pass the time.

 1498        The Venetians initiate the printing of musical scores.

 1500        French King Louis XII defeats the Sforza family to take control of Milan.

 1501        Michelangelo creates the statue of David.

 1501        King Ferdinand V unites Sicily and Naples.  Both are under Spanish rule.

 1503        Da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa.  Her famous expression is what one critic later described as being a “Fiasco Face.”  This look later developed into the stern, non-emotional expression called the “Poker Face.”

 1504        Mathematician Bruno Giordana proposes that the universe is infinite.  He is executed.

 1508        Michelangelo starts painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  It takes him four years to complete it because he spends most of time playing cards.

 1511        Pope Julius II forms alliances with Venice and Spain to force France out of Italy.

 1512        The Medici family takes back control of Florence through Pope Leo X (Lorenzo The Magnificent’s son)        

 1513        Machiavelli finishes writing “The Prince.”

 1520        Milan creates a list of “noble” families. This begins the degradation of equality in the city.  Genoa follows in 1528 and Florence in 1600.

 1521        Machiavelli’s “The Art of War” is published.

 1524        Verrazzano sails for France and discovers New York.  French cards are found on deck.  Around this same time the English also adopt the French suits.  Consequently, French suits become the standard deck in the Americas.

 1525        Northern Italy remains heavily influenced by the French, so French suited cards become the norm.  Meanwhile, in Southern Italy, Spanish cards containing the suits of coins, swords, cups, and clubs spread throughout Naples and Sicily.  Spain and France continue to battle in Italy under Francis I and Charles V.

 1528            Spain’s Emperor Charles V finally takes over control of Italy.

 1532        Alessandro di Medici becomes Duke of Florence but is murdered in 1537.  This finally ends the reign of the Medici family and closes the curtain on the Italian Renaissance.

 1550        The Commedia dell’Arte becomes a popular theatrical movement in Italy.  Direct influences of Fiasco can be seen in Arlecchino (Harlequin), who is a clever but lazy character who performs slapstick comedy.  Other characters in the show adopt his mask.

 1601        William Shakespeare travels to Venice to experience Italian theatre.  After a show, he plays Fiasco for the first time.  He is incredibly intrigued by the game. “To tie or not to tie, that is the question” becomes the basis for Hamlet’s famous soliloquy.

 1620        Italy’s economy quickly falls into a recession.  The noble families enjoy the high life, while the once affluent laymen become starving peasants.  Fiasco playing cards are lost in history.

 1990        A “unique Venetian card game” is discovered by an Italian scholar.  Further research discovers a sword yielding jester-type character, uncommon to any other game.  This character is the well-dressed and suitably masked Fiasco.  A variety of court cards are discovered ranging from Italian nobility to French kings.  The best-preserved courtly illustration depicts an old but powerful king, thought to be Emperor Charles V of Spain in his later years.

 2003        Fiasco playing cards are printed for the first time in over 350 years. The rules of the game are simple:  Collect cards to score points, and steal points away from your competitors to prevent them from winning.  Fiasco is easy to learn, but difficult to master.  It’s a game for advanced card players who seek a challenge, and take great delight in outsmarting their opponents.  It’s a battle of wits, it’s a trick, it’s a Fiasco!  The game of fiendish fun.