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Medieval Chess: A Game of Equality and Unity

3/20/2026

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Story summary
  • Dr. Krisztina Ilko of the University of Cambridge finds that medieval chess fostered equality and intellectual exchange rather than racial tensions.
  • Ilko's analysis shows diverse players, including Black, Muslim, and Jewish individuals, engaging as equals.
  • The study, published in Speculum, argues the game created a 'just world' where skill mattered more than status.
  • Ilko's work has been recognized with the Medieval Academy of America's Article Prize in Critical Race Studies.