ACCORDING2SAM #92 'THE BISHOP'

The game of chess is a competitive board game that developed in Europe in the 15th century. The game evolved from similar and much older games from Asia. However, the main twist on the game of chess is the influence of feudal Europe. The pieces of the chessboard represent the systemic structure of feudalism. The king and queen represent the absolute monarchs of Europe. These monarchs carved out fiefdoms in their kingdoms and established an aristocracy as lords in their realms. These feudal lords are represented by the knights. The rook represents the castles, or castle towers in the kingdom, and the serfs and lowborn in the kingdom are represented by the pawns. The bishop represents the Roman Catholic Church, which played a very significant role in the feudal system. Feudalism never could have existed for as long as it did without the divine right to rule which the church bestowed on European monarchs. It was a business decision for the church, which depended on the monarchs for protection. It was a win/win for everyone except the pawns that suffered under this arrangement. Where did the idea of the bishop originate, and how and why did those early ideas of the bishop change? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #92.