PA12706: Crusades Deluxe Chess Starter Kit

The Crusades themed chess moulds include the Richard the Lionheart (PA711) and Saladin (PA712) sides in a set of six vulcanised rubber moulds. The pieces will be approximately 54mm scale when cast.

This starter kit contains:

• Richard the Lionheart's chess side 3 moulds  (that can cast the king, queen, bishop, knight, rook and pawn).
• Saladin's chess side 3 moulds (that can cast the king, queen, bishop, knight, rook and pawn).
• Casting ladle. This is where the liquid metal goes and where you are pouring from.
• 2 metal clamps. These hold the assembled mould and boards together.
• 2 large support boards. These sandwich the mould and insulate it and spread the pressure from the clamps.
  
• 16 bars of Model metal.
• Small pot of release agent.
• Large sturdy cardboard storage box for moulds and accessories.
• Wooden metal stirrer.
• painting and casting instructions.

Model metal contains a percentage of lead in the alloy. It consists of Lead, Tin and Bismuth. No chess board is included.

Model Metal Safety Data Sheet.

Release Powder SDS PDF.

We recommend including a set of felt chess bases to help protect the surfaces you are playing on from scratches.

Size of Pieces:

Saladin's King - 68mm | Richard's King - 62mm

Saladin's Queen - 60mm | Richard's Queen - 61mm

Saladin's Bishop - 60mm | Richard's Bishop - 60mm

Saladin's Knight - 66mm | Richard's Knight - 65mm

Saladin's Rook - 38mm | Richard's Rook - 47mm

Saladin's Pawn - 55mm | Richard's Pawn - 54mm

History:

The Crusades.

Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199) and Saladin (1138-1193). The crusades began in 1095 with an appeal by Pope Urban II to free the Holy City of Jerusalem from Muslim hands, This effectively ended in 1204. During that period the Papacy called as many as four Crusades, The first of which recovered Jerusalem in 1099. However in 1187 the Turkish ruler Saladin once again put the Holy City under Muslim control. This event led to the so called Third Crusade and the coming of Richard I of England to the East. Though accompanied by the King of France until 1191 Richard the Lionheart is the best remembered commander of the Third Crusade.

In leadership the Turks and the Western forces were evenly matched, Richard was a brave fighter and perhaps an abler soldier than Saladin, who was by far the better Statesman. The most notable military encounter of the struggle was the siege of Acre (1189-1191). The besieged garrison, assisted from outside by Saladin, heroically held out for two years against a combined land and sea force. After Acre fell, Richard made further gains but was stubbornly resisted by Saladin. The conflict ended in stalemate: The two leaders agreeing to armistice in 1192. Richard failed to recapture Jerusalem, but secured the right for pilgrims to visit the Holy Sepulchre.