Birth of the Chess Queen: A History

“Marilyn Yalom has written the rare book that illuminates something that always has been dimly perceived but never articulated, in this case that that the power of the chess queen reflects the evolution of female power in the western world.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer

Everyone knows that the queen is the most dominant piece in chess, but few people know that the game existed for five hundred years without her. It wasn't until chess became a popular pastime for European royals during the Middle Ages that the queen was born and was gradually empowered to become the king's fierce warrior and protector.

Birth of the Chess Queen examines the five centuries between the chess queen's timid emergence in the early days of the Holy Roman Empire to her elevation during the reign of Isabel of Castile. Marilyn Yalom, inspired by a handful of surviving medieval chess queens, traces their origin and spread from Spain, Italy, and Germany to France, England, Scandinavia, and Russia. In a lively and engaging historical investigation, Yalom draws parallels between the rise of the chess queen and the ascent of female sovereigns in Europe, presenting a layered, fascinating history of medieval courts and internal struggles for power.

Everyone knows that the queen is the most powerful piece in chess, but few people know that the game existed for five hundred years without her. In India, Persia, and the Arab lands, where the game was first played, a general, or vizier (chief counselor to the king), occupied the square where the queen now stands. Not until the year 1000, two hundred years after Arab conquerors brought chess to southern Europe, did a chess queen appear on the board. Initially she was the weakest piece, moving only one square at a time on the diagonal, yet by 1497, during the reign of Isabella of Castile, the chess queen had become the formidable force she is today.

How and why did this transformation take place? Birth of the Chess Queen examines the five-hundred-year period between the chess queen's timid emergence and her elevation into the game's mightiest piece. Marilyn Yalom, inspired by a handful of surviving medieval chess queens, traces their origin and spread from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and England to Scandinavia and Russia. In a lively and engaging narrative, Yalom draws parallels between the birth of the chess queen and the ascent of female sovereigns in Europe, presenting a layered, fascinating history of medieval courts, with their intrigues and internal struggles for power. Further, she shows the connection between the chess queen, the cult of the Virgin Mary, and the cult of Romantic Love, all of which influenced European society for centuries to come.

Illustrated with beautiful art throughout, this book takes a fresh look at the politics and culture of medieval Europe, the institution of queenship, and the reflections of royal power in the figure of the chess queen.

“An enticing portal into the past.” - Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Yalom…has written the rare book that illuminates something that has always been dimply perceived but never articulated, in this case that the power of the chess queen reflects the evolution of female power in the Western world.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“A capable explanation of how the queen became the board’s dominant aggressive piece [and] an interesting depiction of chess as representing the culture of its time. The work is a sympathetic, nonpartisan, explanation of the rise of the power of the female, especially in Europe.” - Boston Globe

“A fascinating cultural account of the evolution of a game piece…. This anecdote-filled book should appeal not only to readers interested in chess but to anyone with an interest in cultural diffusion or gender studies.” - Library Journal

“Fascinating. . . . Marilyn Yalom makes a convincing case that the power of the chess queen reflects the evolution of female power in the western world.” - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“A well-researched and enjoyable book.” - The Economist

“Both chess fans and those unfamiliar with the game will enjoy this absorbing look at the evolution of chess.” - Booklist

“Combining exhaustive research with a deep knowledge of women’s history, Yalom presents an entertaining and enlightening survey that offers a new perspective on an ancient game.” - Publishers Weekly

“An enticing portal into the past…. Yalom writes passionately and accessibly about this esoteric topic.” - Los Angeles Times Book Review

“A wide-ranging exploration of the origins of chess and of its most powerful piece…. Yalom has rattled the vaults of Europe to shake out the missing-link chess pieces that show the game’s evolution on the Continent…. [Her] entertaining (and credible) contention is that that the booting of the vizier and the coronation of the Queen are linked to the rising status of women in medieval Europe.” - New York Times Book Review

“In this remarkable book we have the first full-fledged investigation of how the chess queen came to the game… [and] developed into the most powerful piece on the board.” - Chess Life

“An interesting book for lovers of chess and, above all, lovers of strong women.” - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Marilyn Yalom has written the rare book that illuminates something that always has been dimly perceived but never articulated, in this case that that the power of the chess queen reflects the evolution of female power in the western world.” - Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Marilyn Yalom has written the rare book that illuminates something that always has been dimly perceived but never articulated.” - Cleveland Plain Dealer