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The Kuruksetra battle
When the morning of that day has dawned, the two parties faced each other in arms.
The warriors stood in four rows: kings and princes in front on shining charriots, in jewelry and gold-adorned armors, with glistening weapons. Battle flags swung on high poles of each chariots, they will recognize each others and the enemy in the deepest bustle of the battle.
The cavarly formed the second line. They were ready on light and quick horses, to support the charriots.
Huge elephants like mountains stood in the third line, armored frameworks on their back, fullfilled with archers and lancers: when the charriots and chavarly disarranged the enemy, they will roll like rocks over them.
The infantry formed the fourth line behind the elephants, with shields and swords, to settle the battle with their bulk. (from the Mahabharata)
Position of the chess pieces is similar to the above:
Infantry: the pawns
Charriots: the rooks
Chavarly: the knights
Elephants: the bishops (on schematical illustrations in the Middle Ages they were similar to the fools hat: the name of this piece is fou in Franche, which means fool, and Laufer in German which means something like bishop)
The queen is a minister of the king in the easter chess, fersan in Persian, and mudabbi in Arabic.