L'Hombre is a card game that was developed in Spain in the early 17th century, as a variation of an earlier four player game, also called Hombre. The three player version, which in Spain was originally called Hombre Renegado spread rapidly across Europe and during the 17th and 18th centuries became the premier card game, occupying a position of prestige similar to Bridge today. It was variously known as Hombre, Ombre or L'Hombre, and over the years it acquired many variations, of increasing complexity. Its popularity was eclipsed in the late 18th century by a new four player variant Quadrille, which was in turn displaced by Whist, Boston and eventually Bridge. Although L'Hombre died out in other parts of Europe, it remained popular in Denmark right up to the 20th century, and is still played there today. The game is organized with a L'Hombre union in Jutland, the western part of Denmark.
L'Hombre was one of the first games to introduce bidding, through which one player becomes the declarer, trying to make a contract, with the other players co-operating to prevent him. The declarer was originally called Hombre (i.e. the man). It was from L'Hombre that the idea of bidding was adopted into other card games such as Tarot, Skat and Boston. Research L'Hombre
The cotillion is a French dance for four couples in square formation, in which the ladies held up their gowns and showed their under-petticoats. It is a form of contredanse that originated about 1700. By about 1800, it had spread to England and North America and elsewhere. One variety of the cotillion developed three to five complex figures, each with its own tune; known as the quadrille, and this was the direct ancestor of the American square dance. In the late 19th century the remaining varieties of the cotillion developed into flirting game-dances with prizes, forfeits, and frequent exchanges of partners. Research Cotillion
Country dance is a traditional form of British folk and aristocratic dance, from which many variations developed. Flirtatious and social, it is danced by a 'set', or group of couples, who execute various patterns or figures with one another. A set can have various formations. In a longways set, for example, partners face each other in parallel lines of men and women, while in a Sicilian circle couple faces couple. Sets are generally divided into ' minor sets' of two or three couples. By the end of the overall pattern, each leading couple has exchanged places with another couple, and the dance repeats until all couples have had a chance to be leaders. Country dances, although known earlier, were first printed in 'The English Dancing Master' published in 1650 by the English musician John Playford. By 1700 English dancing had become a European fashion, and continental forms acquired a French name, contredanse, and more intricate footwork. One French dance in square formation, the cotillion, gave rise to the quadrille, which, like other contredanses, became the vogue in England and the USA. The quadrille absorbed other influences in North America and evolved into the square dance. A popular form of country dance is the Virginia Reel, an American version of an English dance called the Sir Roger de Coverley, which was one of the few older English dances to survive the onslaught of the contredanse. Research Country Dance
The quadrille is a square dance for four couples. It was first danced in England in 1815, having been introduced by the Duke of Devonshire from France where it originated, and superseded in 1850 by the lancers. Research Quadrille
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research L'Hombre
