D. is
the first mentioned among Arabian rulers before the famous Harun Ar
Rashid. The enlightened, mild and humane Al Mamun (second son of
Harun) the great patron of science, comes seventh on the list, and
is supposed to have been the most enthusiastic and liberal of all
the Khalifs, and we are told that it was a happy thing for any
worthy man of learning or scholar to become known to him. "Unluckily
it is said for Oriental literature, but few of the Arabian treasures
have been preserved, and of those that have, scarcely any are
translated," but there are abundant references to shew that some
of the most powerful Eastern rulers were chess players, (Gibbon
and others and Eastern historians) and probably as has been
suggested, (Lambe, Bland, Forbes, &c., &c.,) many of them were
devoted to or partial to the game, list of the Khalifs, Sultans,
Emperors and Kings of the East, Africa, Spain and at times of
Egypt and Persia, from Abu Bekr 632 to 1212 A.D. (the great battle)
which finally overthrew the Moorish ascendancy.
The versions of Persian Chess. Burzuvia 1, King of Hind 2.
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Abu Feda, who is regarded as one of the most reliable historians
in the annals of the Muslims, records the following letter from
Nicephorus, Emperor of the Romans to Harun, "Sovereign of
the Arabs," the date given being about 802 A.
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