Ben has been a part of my life for quite a while now.
I can’t believe that I missed this one.
OMG. The very last place I expected to see this.
I’ve studied the History of Tarot (on & off) for years.
I bought my first Rider Waite deck in my 20’s. Long before I’d read Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces. Long before I studied the Hero’s Journey.
I’d started writing books as a teenager. All gone now.
There is a wonderful book called The Devil’s Picture Book. Named so for a reason.
Tarot is seen as a tool of the Devil via popular/church teachings.
Even though you can trace their origin as far back as 11/12th century Byzantium. The Mamluk Tarot.
Mad King Charles VI of France was meant to have consulted the cards. And his sister in law – Valentina Visconti – is credited with bringing the cards from Italy to France. And her husband, Louis (Charles’ brother) was assassinated in Paris and had his left hand cut off. For consorting with the Devil!!!
Valentina was the mother of Charles d’Orleans who was captured at Agincourt and spent time as a prisoner in Bolingbroke Castle (just down the road from me)
It’s all very convoluted and misrepresented.
Anyhoo – Hidden History. If anyone cares to study it properly (?)