ROYAL QUARRELS OVER THE CHESS-BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12859, 6 May 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

ROYAL QUARRELS OVER THE CHESS-BOARD.

CHESS AS A PASTIME OF KINGS. If, as is reported in the papers, King Edward is developing an enthusiasm for chess, lie is only following in the steps of many of his predecessors on the Thione, including his namesake, the first Edward, who was almost as keen a fighter with castles and pawns as with his knights and squires at his back on the Scottish Border.

His wife, too, was little less skilful at the game than her lord: indeed, on one occasion, when she gave him one of his rare beatings, he rewarded her with a present of a chessboard and men mail'.' of jasper and crystal. On one occasion his devotion to the game nearly cost him bis life; lor be had only just risen from the board when the centre-stone of the ceiling fell on the very spot where lie had been sitting. Whether or not players were more irascible in those old days than now, it is a curious fact that chess was often more stimulating to the Royal tempers than is golf in these latter days, and many a game peacefully begun ended in broken heads. When Prince Henry—afterwards Henry i.—once paid a visit, to the Com I of France, a chronicler tells us, "he wan so much at chesse of Louis, the King's eldest, sonne, as he, growing into choller, called him (a naughty name) and threw the chesse in his face. Henry takes up the chessc-board, and strako Louis with that force as drew blood, and had killed him had not his brother Robert come in the meane time and interposed himself, whereupon they suddenly took horse and gat away.'' King John in his younger days liad a similar experience; for a game of chess in which his opponent was one Fulk Warine ended in a Royal row. during which Folk gave the Prince " so grievous a blowe as almost to slaie him on the spot." John never forgot the blow or forgave his irascible opponent, and punished him. when later he came to the throne, by withholding kj* heritageWhittington Castlefrom him. William the Conqueror more than once lost his temper over the game, and on at least one occasion with serious consequences.

He was playing with the son of the King of France, when a dispute led to hot words, and culminated in William bringing down the board so heavily on his opponent's head as to make him unconscious. Within an hour William's horse put a score of miles between his rider and the French Court.

Philip 11. of Spain could play chess amiably enough as long as he won—like so many of us—but woe to the indiscreet player who'checkmated His Majesty; banishment from Court was the least, penalty he might expect. One, of the most powerful grandees of Spain, after playing with the King, returned home and thus greeted his family: "My children, we have nothing more to do at Court. There we must henceforth expect no favour; the King is offended because J have won every game of chess." Napoleon the Great was an equally selfish and intolerant player. Once when he was playing with Eugene Beauharnais, and suddenly found himself face to face with a checkmate, iu a fit of passion he swept board, pieces and all off the table, slapped his opponent on the face, and walked out of the room, In one case at least chess estranged a husband and wife and cost the. husband, dearly. Ferrand, Count, of Flanders, was in the habit of playing with his countess, and was ungallast enough to win almost every game. This constant ami almost inevitable defeat so disturbed the lady that in lime she conceived a. positive hatred of her victor; to such an extent that when he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Bouvines she refused point-blank to take any steps to procure his release. bonis XIII. of France was so Infatuated with the game that wherever he went he .was accompanied by his chessboard and . men. and invariably played it in his coach when he took his drives abroad. Charles 1. found it so fascinating that he almost literally played ; l to the foot of the scaffold; and when once his game was interrupted by news that the Scuts bad decided to sell him to the Parliament be proceeded with his move as unruffled as if, instead of hearing his doom, he had received a summons to dinner. And when John Frederick, Elector "of Saxony, heard over the chessboard the B»ws that he had been condemned to death, he completed his move and was again immersed in the game before the messenger had hud time to withdraw.