Event - Art, war, and games

History and Strategy: Chess at the Heart of the Middle Ages

The Château de Crèvecœur dedicates two days to the history of chess and its spread throughout medieval Europe. Based on the chess pieces preserved in its collections, the event offers an exploration of the cultural, commercial, and intellectual exchanges that connected Normandy to the rest of Europe during the 11th and 12th centuries.

Far more than simple museum objects, these pieces reflect Scandinavian, Eastern, and Western influences circulating in the medieval world. They shed light on the gradual adoption of the game by the Anglo-Norman aristocracy and its link to strategy, military learning, and the representation of power.

Demonstrations, conferences, historical narratives, and reconstructions allow for the discussion of themes such as the art of war, exchanges between kingdoms, and the evolution of chivalric practices following the conquest of England. This meeting of heritage, academic research, and cultural mediation offers a lively and accessible approach to medieval history.

The Speakers

Thierry Vaneson – The Lively Narrative of Battles

A member of the association Chantres et chroniqueurs, Thierry Vaneson recounts the Battle of Hastings through an immersive mediation combining narrative, historical costume, tactical diorama, and figurines. This presentation highlights the strategies, troop movements, and military stakes that alter the fate of a kingdom. Accessible from age 8, it lasts between 45 minutes and an hour and is also aimed at individuals with reduced mobility and those with mental disabilities.

Aisling 1198

Specializing in historical reenactment and medieval games, the association Aisling 1198 offers several activities around the material culture of the 12th century:

- presentation of military equipment verified by historical sources: gambesons, chainmail hauberks, helmets, swords, axes, crossbows, and other weapons, accompanied by combat demonstrations.

- a space featuring 23 reconstructed medieval board games, presented in classic or giant formats.

Sylvestre Jonquay

Each day, Sylvestre Jonquay offers a conference dedicated to the chess pieces discovered in Normandy. This talk highlights the richness of this archaeological heritage and its contribution to understanding cultural exchanges in medieval Europe.

Practical Information:

For all audiences

Admission fees Adults: €10 (low season) or €12 (high season, July-August) | Children aged 5 to 18, students, individuals with disabilities: €5 (low season) or €6 (high season) | Free for children under 5 years old.

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