Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series IX: Sciences of Human Kinetics • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014

DATA REGARDING THE BIRTH OF SPORTS IN THE FRANCO-FLEMISH REGION OF THE MIDDLE AGES

D.M. TURCU1 D.V. TURCU2

Abstract: Over the centuries, the practice of sports has evolved in a dynamic way, which led to its current state as an integral part of our society. However, the history of physical education in the Middle Ages period is controversial. The traditions of chivalry and tournaments often took the spotlight of historians and readers, sadly leaving much of the celebrations, games and exercises practiced by ordinary people, which were most often very imaginative, dynamic, cheerful and appealing in a shade. This paper attempts to highlight the fact that the Franco-Flemish region can be considered the "cradle" of modern sports, especially the majority of games. So in order to locate the origins, we present the beginnings of sports such as the cricket, golf, ball games.

Key words: game, sport, Middle Ages, modern, player.

1. Introduction Greece so as would be expected, but in France the feudal Middle Ages, The study of facts showing the specifically the Franco-Flemish region. It development of physical education and is hockey on grass and ice, cricket, sport mainly from fifteenth century, football, golf, badminton, squash, Basque contribute to the understanding of the pelota, field and table tennis etc. present and glimpse the future direction of The technique is described in many the sports. textbooks of game most French. In In this paper, we present the data and England and Germany the game is held by information collected from the literature of French methods. Many games in France authors listed in the bibliography, where and Germany had existed for many we present some of the history of modern centuries in their own very interesting sports ball games today, their origin and forms. Of course apart from France, ball their evolution in time and space. games were practiced with the same The role and importance, the roots of pleasure and the same passion in other most of them are not found in ancient countries, giving the opportunity to a rich

1 ”Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu. 2 ”Alma Mater” University of Sibiu. 10 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series IX • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014 literature. In England the ball game This game is described as " one of the development followed the same trend as in players is next to two pebbles found each France. other at a distance of about 1 m in this position armed with a wooden paddle 2. Work Material and methods rounded at one end, he must prevent his opponent, at a distance, to pass through the The methods used are: documentary two stones and you need to keep away as study of literature, theoretical analysis far as possible [3]. A picture showing the and synthesis of information. description of the game is on upholstery Documentation theoretical sought to extracted from "L' Histoire de Gombaud et identify and review the state of Mace" in 1600 (and indeed one hundred knowledge issues addressed. The main years later would be borrowed and adapted method used was the historical method by Henry René d' Allemagne in his "Sports that the general nature of the application and games in ancient France" [1]. method, having a double benefit in that it In the spread of cricket there was an is also particular method of empirical intermediary, Franco- Flemish region, as and analytical research. shown in the etymology of the term "cricket". Cricket Flemish verb derived 3. Results and Discussion from "Ketsen", a word borrowed from the term picaresque (Picardy – French region) "La Soule" [6] was a very old and "cadrier" = track. The phrase "met the popular game played by the French even crik" (or crek) Ketsen, track ball putter was before the reign of Louis the Saint, it is introduced in England between XV and considered an ancestor of football, but not XVI centuries which reappeared as only, as we shall see later, it is the origin of "Kreketts "at mid-century XVI [4]. Cricket other sports too. appeared therefore quite late in the 'La Soule' exists in two forms, "La evolution family game "Soul La Crosse". Soule" itself, where players wore leggings Throughout this evolution playful element to protect legs and "Soule lacrosse" in portions defense was abandoned in favor which the medieval peasant was using the of skill element – why the dimensions of shepherd bat. "Soul à la crosse" is of the gate were reduced. It seems that course the ancestor of modern hockey (on players with the intention of finding the grass) and ice hockey's, but this game has right word for this purpose diminished the evolved so that today we encounter it as a while aware of the origin of their game modern game: cricket, the national game have deliberately chosen the word of Great Britain. "Wicket" warlike connotations of the gate. Valuable information about the game in Wicket word picaresque (Picardy) France have been found in a book "Les corresponding to the term "Guichet" (door jeux avec uns des Garçons jeunes et une / peephole) of modern French designate the explication devise morale" (game the Middle Ages the small entrance gate of a young accompanied by an explanation and castle fortification wall [2]. The use of this a moral motto) one specimen (a remake term is illustrated in a passage from the made in Paris 1807) is preserved in the Old English novel about King Richard the museum of the Swedish ball sports [3]. Lionheart [5] and the 3rd crusade where D.M. TURCU et al.: Data regarding the Birth of Sports in the Franco-Flemish Region … 11

Saracens after they were expelled from where words Klof or golf are used to their city d'Orglyous have managed to describe games in medieval documents by return with an entry in the wall using a mid-century XVI. Even if terminology is conspirator inside. of Flemish origin, which means that It should be noted that French authors Flanders is the home country, still north of have studied history of this sport, which France plays a very important role in its has become a national sport practiced by genesis. Oldest document about the game both aristocratic class and the common of golf is a miniature of a book "d'Heures" people in popular festivities as simple of Picard origin, written in the mid games and sports entertainment. fifteenth century [7]. Is another game whose origin Ball game that presents the most striking is still in the game "La Soule". Like features of medieval tournament is "Jeu de cricket, it is distinguished by its Paume". Therefore, the origin of the predecessor, the importance element traditional games which it is spread acquires skill and almost complete throughout the world through a process of elimination of force. migrating several hundred years. Among However, the playing instrument the latter we must mention: the game of characteristic of the game "Soul crosse", Saterland (Germany ) , very old , with two remains the club. A common error made in of its offspring - the game "frisson" of the research of this game is to place its "keatsen" and "párkspel" ball game origin early in the XIV century and even traditional in the Swedish island of XVIII century on the pretext that the Gotland - ball game "au tamis Picard" Flemish term "Korf" or "KOLV" (Picard sieve) and its variant, play ball etymological basis of the modern word "Walloon" (called Kaatsen in Flemish), the meets literary or historical sources of those game "jo de paumo " (Spain) , the eras . In 1261 the Flemish writer Jacob van traditional ball game in Tuscany (Italy) Maerlant managed to translate the Flemish called "palla", varieties of Basque game "The Book of Merlin" ("Livre de Merlin") "pelota" called "bote Lueza" and by Robert Baron. In this book, the envoys "Lachout" game of the Canary Islands. of King Vortigern I meet young Merlin, "Lanzarote" and finally the overseas games the famous prophet and magician, playing in Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador "pelota a ball game with his friends in front of the mixteque" and "juego de la chaza" (Jeu de gate of a city. To attract attention to the Paume) [7]. messengers in search of an orphan child, Ball game was first of all a variation of Merlin kicks one of the players in the shin the "jeu de Soule" played in the northern with his club and player so provoked calls monasteries since mid-century XII. Merlin a "fatherless bastard ". The word Architectural feature of the monasteries "Kolf" Maerlant used in his translation consists of gallery with sloping roof does not prove that there was in the XIII-th surrounding the square yard. Opening century in Flanders, a forerunner of golf columns were replaced with gates, targets today. used in the "jeu de Soule". The sloping Comparison with the French text of roof gave the monks the impression of a Robert Baron clearly proves that it was the very high importance in relation to game "Soul lacrosse." It applies in all cases medieval game, the idea of throwing the 12 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series IX • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014 ball to mark the beginning of the game. encountered in the novel by Hem. This The space between the columns, defended distinction survived in Italy by playing against balls coming from the opponent in "palla" and "juego de la chaza" in the tournament according to the model was Colombia (Latin America) although if known as the "dedans" (inside). The roof last idea of the conquest of heights so service has also been maintained by characteristic of medieval tournaments players with a remarkable conservatism, players disappeared from memory using even when the game early enough, had to the term "arriba" (above) for which leave the monastery walls to settle on city should be called the "abajo" streets or in the countryside. (underneath)" and vice versa. Thus, in the streets, choose a roof top of All the traditional games without a bourgeois house at the street, while in the exception should retain the term used to country side they raised a pillar. Finally, describe medieval jousting horse attack, they used a sieve (in Picardy called "chasse" (tracking) which in ball games, "SAS"), or an inclined surface made of denotes a special rule. wood or stone, or just above home plate to In traditional games, there are two serve to put the ball in play. features which intrigue any history of Historical value of these traditional sports. The Basque game "bote lueza” games derived from "Jeu de la Paume" – place in which in medieval jousts was the including "game screen" ("jeu de tamis"), gate is called" paso". This seems to make keep their terminological conservatism. allusions to "bed weapons," the discipline Oldest generation of these traditional of the tournament in sec. XV, after which games represent a group of games which the gate is used to stage conquest. In the common feature is the preservation of game "pàrkspel" from Gotland, the rules "park" to designate closed land, term require to mark the limits of "Parck's" borrowed from the tournament. (land) with wooden boards. This method is These games have moved from their unsuitable for the lines could be drawn homeland in the North Picard to easily with chalk. immediate neighbors, tribes Frisone "Jeu de balle "rooted in a tournament, which in the Middle Ages were from the initiated or at least influenced, the child's North Sea to the heights of Brugal. Of play. There is a question that has caused a the three known varieties of this group, long debate for historians of sport, the "archetype" was a practice game until origin of the name of the game of tennis. A mid-century nineteen in Saterland - thesis already exceeded believes that (the geographical enclave of West Grand origin) the name comes from a medieval Duchy of Oldemburg the only region of rule in game Paume (Jeu de la Paume) Germany where the language was kept required the player at the launch of the first shivering until today, revealing evidence ball first to shout "tenez" thus alerting his of isolation of its inhabitants to their service. German neighbors, lower German Evidence was found in a variation of "jeu speakers. As already mentioned, this de bâtonnet" which was introduced in the game keeps the old name of "park", and Rhineland Palatine during the Napoleonic also the distinction between positions Wars. But after the World War II, "upstream" and "downstream" that I've Palatinate children change service always D.M. TURCU et al.: Data regarding the Birth of Sports in the Franco-Flemish Region … 13 shouting "tenez!" Cry inherited from the Today, it is highly regarded in various "jeu de balle" medieval. They also variants such as: badminton, squash, contributed to increasing our knowledge of table tennis, and regional forms, the "Jeu de la Paume" using the answer Basque pelota, etc. "oui" (meaning s'il vous plaît - please), 4. Fuedale social decay has caused informing us that the Middle Ages was gradual decline and then the mandatory, not only from those who disappearance of the game, so the served but from the one who got the ball to game rooms were becoming less announce that he was ready to start the frequented, entrepreneurs of the rooms game. being unable to uphold their travel expenses out, gave them another 4. Conclusions destination. 5. As mentioned in the literature 1. The ball game was most practiced in (Palestrica, pg. 190) the game itself the sixteenth century to the eighteenth has maintained the popular circles in century, from the petty bourgeoisie to different forms for a long time. In the royal family. For any gentleman of southern France they still play today the city and for those who imitated "Basque Pelota", regional power him, it was fashionable to know how games. to play ball, but there were 6. In 1874, English Major Wingfield championships in the true sense of the brought modifications, the old "Jeu de modern word and we do not know the Paume" that became "lawn-tennis" lists of winners. tennis, was played on grass, so that 2. In cities, masters players, balls and under this new name, the ball play rackets were often manufacturers and retook the place, while the other, owners of ball games and were mentionated above became "modern" organized into guilds (associations) as and found notoriety still enjoyed other craftsmen. Game rooms, along today. with churches and Roundabouts were premises largest playgrounds in the References city. In 1789 "ball-oath of Versailles" was one of the major events of the 1. De Genst, H.: Histoire de l’éducation French Revolution. physique, 2 volumes. Bruxelles. 3. The play hall will occur fast enough to Maison d’edition A. De Boeck, 1949. provide the possibility of practicing 2. Gillmeister, H.: Ils frappèrent au the game often banned in public quichet. Mȕnchen. Fink, 1965. places, home to noble course, allows 3. Herbert, G.: La culture virile et les players to play with each other devoirs physiques de l’officier without having to play with ordinary combattant. Paris. Ed. Vuibert, 1913. people and to practice it in good 4. Jeu, B.: Mythologie et politique dans comfort, without risking being la Première Olympique de Pindare et interrupted by weather. In the Platon. Lille. Diffusion Presses nineteenth century ball game has been Universitaires, "Charles de Gaulle", replaced with other motion games. 1986. 14 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series IX • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014

5. Kiritescu, C.: Palestrica. Bucureşti. sfârşitul secolului XIX (Physical Editura Uniunii de Cultură Fizică şi education in Transylvania from the Sport, 1964. fifteenth century until the Second 6. Sarrasin. Le roman du Hem. Paris. Ed World War). Sibiu. Editura Albert Henry, 1948. Universităţii “Lucian Blaga” Sibiu, 7. Turcu, D.M.: Educaţia fizică în 2004. Europa din secolul XV până la