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The Origins of Badminton
Badminton has many precursors. The game of hitting shuttlecocks with a part of the body or an implement dates back more than two millennia in China.
In Japan, hanetsuki was played towards the end of the medieval period.
In Europe, one of the precursors to badminton is ‘battledore and shuttlecock’, which was played in England as early as the Middle Ages; the aim of the game was to keep a shuttlecock in the air using a battledore (a racket or paddle)
The women’s game of ‘jeu de volant’, the precursor to badminton, dates back to the 18th century, as illustrated by artists such as Fragonard and Chardin, who depicted young ladies from good families taking part in this activity.
In fact, Badminton was born in the mid-19th century when British officers in India began playing a game inspired by "battledore and shuttlecock." This sport quickly gained popularity and was introduced to England, where it was officially codified at Badminton House, giving it its. Since then, badminton has established itself as an international sport, valued for speed and competitive spirit.
The rules of modern badminton were established in 1873, when British officers returning from India gathered at the Duke of Beaufort’s castle in Amiton, Gloucestershire.
They spoke of the Indian game of ‘poonai’, played with a racket and a light ball, but as they had no ball, they used a champagne cork to which they attached feathers. Amused by their invention, they decided to popularise it under the name ‘Badminton’, in homage to the castle where it was first played. However, some historians regard this story as a legend, suggesting that the origins of badminton may be different.
Le Volant, a caricature in *Le Bon Genre* in 1801
After François-Joseph Bosio. — This image is from the Gallica online library
Hand-coloured engraving from the *Le Bon Genre* series published by Pierre de la Mésangère.
THE EVOLUTION OF BADMINTON TODAY
GROUND FORM
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SCORE
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Petit titre
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