by Spain’s Queen Isabella changed chess by making the Queen the most important piece, its free movement reflecting her powerful status in 15th century Europe.
Chess is one of the oldest games played today, with a history stretching back 1500 years.
The game originated in India. Known as ‘Chaturanga‘, it was played in the north of the country from the sixth century, and was popular with scholars and among the nobility.
Chaturanga was played on the familiar 8 x 8 board, with four categories of pieces: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. The opposing sides were coloured differently, although usually not black and white: one side was a light, natural shade, the other was dyed darker, often green or red.
The object of the game was to take your opponent’s primary piece, known as the ‘Raja’. This was paired with a piece known as the ‘Vizier’, or counsellor; the two pieces together symbolising the governmental structure where the game was played.
Both the Raja and the Vizier could move one square, in any direction.
From India, Chaturanga spread to neighbouring Persia, where it was known as ‘Shatranj’. Persian players would refine the game, and many of the terms associated with it were introduced there.
Most notably ‘checkmate’, which is believed to derive from the Persian shah mat, meaning ‘the king is defeated’.
Chess became highly respected within Persian culture and was often associated with high education, and life at court. The game’s tactics were studied, and its best players celebrated.
Persia was conquered by Muslim invaders in the 7th century. Their territory would become part of the Umayyad Caliphate; driven by Muslim military expansion, at its peak this stretched across the north of Africa, and up the Iberian Peninsula.
In the western part of the caliphate, the Muslims were known as Moors; they would bring Shatranj with them to Europe.
By the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the game had become established across the continent. European players modified the pieces to better reflect feudal society; the elephant evolved into a bishop, the leaders became king and queen.
The name evolved as well. In Spain, Shatranj was translated to Ajedrez, which became Esches in French.
The translation of this in English was, Chess.
Chess again became popular among the nobility. The pieces were fixed as black and white, wealthier players had expensive sets made, out of ivory and precious metals.
The remaining Christian kingdoms in the north of Iberia fought against the Moorish occupiers. Known as the ‘Reconquista’, this was a lengthy struggle, and progress was initially slow.
Momentum began to build in the 11th century, when Christian soldiers captured the major town of Toledo. New states formed as smaller kingdoms made alliances, then amalgamated; their combined forces led to greater military success.
By the middle of the 13th century, the Moors had been pushed back to the Emirate of Granada, a small province at the southern tip of Iberia. The rest of present day Spain was divided between several Christian kingdoms: Castille, Aragon and Navarre.
In 1469, Ferdinand II of Aragon, and Isabella I of Castille, were married, combining the largest of the Christian states. This was to be one of the most significant unions in European history.
In this era, European monarchies were usually centred around the King, with the Queen subservient. But Castille was considerably larger and wealthier than Aragon, which changed the power dynamic in the royal couple.
Isabella would have considerable say in governance, and rule with her husband in a partnership. It was to be a pioneering reign.
Far from adhering to the expectations of her time period, Isabella challenged gender norms and ruled as a sovereign queen. The strength of her independent power showed that women could successfully hold leadership positions.
Sarah Hayes, Gettysburg University
Isabella was crowned Queen of Castille in 1474; strong willed, intelligent and capable, she quickly became a popular leader.
Isabella was passionate about the Reconquista, and would visit the battlefields in armour, to boost troop’s morale. She was sometimes referred to as, ‘the warrior queen’.
The combined resources of Castille and Aragon, and canny leadership, finally succeeded in driving the Moors from the continent. The last Muslim ruler of Granada, Muhammad XII, surrendered in January 1492, ending 800 years of occupation.
The victory was celebrated throughout Christian Europe. It would also leave a legacy in chess.
Isabella was known to be an enthusiastic chess player, shortly after her coronation a new variant of the game appeared. Known as ‘new chess’, this featured a much more powerful queen.
The first references to “new chess” are in Spanish sources, from the late 15th century. A book of chess problems makes the distinction between “new chess,” where the queen could move the whole length of the board, in any direction, and “old chess,” where the queen could move only one square.
‘Birth of the Chess Queen’, Marilyn Yarom
New chess was first recorded in 1475, the year after Isabella’s coronation. Historians agree: the more powerful queen was a direct tribute to her.
The rule change caught on quickly. By the 1490s, when Isabella was among the most famous women in Europe, new chess had largely displaced the old version.
Although there were critics. Some chroniclers of the period, unhappy at a female ruler with such power and independence, called the new version of the game, ‘Mad Woman’s Chess.’
1492 was a big year for Isabella and Ferdinand. As well as ending the Reconquista, they also sponsored an exploratory voyage by Christopher Columbus; Columbus sailed west from Europe, hoping to find a shortcut to Asia.
Instead he ran into the Americas, setting in motion a long train of events that would lead to European colonisation.
Castille and Aragon would become enormously wealthy through the natural resources brought back from the New World. United under Isabella and Ferdinand, the Catholic States were among the most powerful players in Europe.
Isabella was also a staunch religious conservative, during her reign the ‘Spanish Inquisition’ would persecute anyone deemed unorthodox in their faith. Jews also faced oppression, and were told to convert to Christianity or leave.
These battles over the right way to worship God, would dominate Europe for centuries. Isabella’s legacy would be large and complex.
She also left her mark permanently on chess. ‘New chess’ eventually supplanted the old version entirely, the more mobile queen making the game more dynamic.
Chess is now the world’s most widely played game, with an estimated 100 – 200 million regular players.
