Anno Domini: Kirche & Staat

About this board game

Anno Domini: Kirche & Staat is a historical card game for 2–8 players that takes about 30 minutes to play. This 1998 set focuses on events related to church and state, and can be played on its own or combined with other Anno Domini sets.

The set contains 340 cards. Each card describes a historical event on one side and gives the year, sometimes with a specific date, on the other. Players receive nine cards each, or fewer for a shorter game, but may initially look only at the descriptions.

Players take turns adding a card to the table, attempting to place it in the correct chronological position among the cards already played. The challenge is not simply to remember history: many events are obscure or difficult to date exactly, making bluffing just as important as knowledge.

• Play a card while trying to maintain the timeline.
• Challenge the existing order instead of adding a card.
• Reveal the years to discover whether the sequence is correct.

If a challenge reveals that the order was correct, the doubting player receives two cards and skips a turn. If the order was incorrect, the previous player—who accepted the sequence as correct—receives three cards. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

With its surprises, social interaction, and opportunities to learn something along the way, Anno Domini: Kirche & Staat is designed for enjoyable group play rather than specialist historical expertise. There is no English edition, but the game may help players improve their German skills—or provide a reason to learn the language.