Here's how the connection works:
* French playing cards: In the early days of playing cards, the Jack was known as "valet" in French decks. The valet represented a servant or attendant to a king, similar to a squire.
* English translation: When playing cards were introduced to England, the French "valet" was translated as "bower." The term "bower" was used to describe a room in a house, often associated with the king's retinue.
Therefore, the jack card was called "bower" as it was a representation of the king's servant or attendant, who would typically be found in the "bower" or private rooms of a castle.
While "bower" is less common nowadays, the term still exists in some card games, especially older ones. It is more common to refer to the jack as simply "jack" today.