When chess emerged in the 7th century in the area of Persia and India, the game had no queen. Instead of one mate standing next to him, the King had two companions on either side: a vizier, or “advisor,” (the “visor” part of his title, describing his ability to see) and a ferz or counselor. Back then, the vizier moved like a rook and the ferz like a bishop, but each moved only one square at a time. It wasn’t until at least 1000 A.D. that the Queen had replaced them both, and almost 500 years later, still, that the Queen became all-powerful, owning all the ways or directions on the board. We’re told this new role was inspired by Isabella of Spain, also a very powerful and mobile queen and the woman behind what some call Isabella’s Inquisition.
However, a game that would allow its Queen to move unlimited squares in any direction was almost immediately criticized as “madwoman chess,” or more literally, “rabid female chess,” as that level of power was seen as ridiculous. Not even the King had that much power on a chessboard, which is why chess was fun: every piece had to use strategy to overcome its own weakness. Old chess reflected reality, where even the powerful had to strategize and work around their own limitations.An all-powerful Queen didn’t reflect much strategic reality; her omnidirectional power was based on fiat, because the rules now “said so.” Because of Isabella, the Queen had been simply redefined to mean something else.
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