Das Schachbuch des Jacobus de Cessolis

Das Schachbuch des Jacobus de Cessolis, originally titled 'Liber de moribus hominum et officiis nobilium ac popularium super ludo scachorum', was composed by the Dominican friar Jacobus de Cessolis around 1300. It served as a seminal moral treatise of the Middle Ages, using the game of chess as an allegorical framework to define the roles, responsibilities, and virtues of different social classes within the feudal hierarchy. The text became one of the most widely read and translated manuscripts of its era, bridging the gap between scholastic philosophy and the popular pastimes of the nobility.

This 1988 edition published by Belser is a high-quality facsimile reproduction. Belser is renowned for its dedication to preserving medieval manuscript traditions through meticulous printing techniques that attempt to capture the texture, color, and intricate illumination of original codices. By reproducing the visual richness of the manuscript alongside the historical commentary, the publisher intended to provide scholars and bibliophiles with an accessible yet authentic look at how the medieval world conceptualized social order through the lens of board games.