That chess reached Persia from India in the first half of the
Sixth century, during the reign of Chosroes, is well attested, and
concurred in by all historians from the Arabian and Persian
writers, the beautiful and accomplished Greek Princess Anna
Comnena, and the Asiatic Society's famous manuscript to Dr. Hyde
and Sir William Jones, and Sir Frederick Madden and Professor
Duncan Forbes, China, also, admits the receipt of chess from
India in the year 537, and got it about the same time as Persia.
Whatever difference of opinion may exist as to the exact spot
from whence chess first sprung, its Asiatic origin is undoubted.
The elephant, ship, or boat in the game was illustrative of its
mode of warfare. The identity of the pieces in the ancient game
with ours of the present day affords striking confirmation of it,
whilst the most competent and esteemed authorities who have
devoted the greatest attention and research to the subject deem
the evidence of language conclusive proof that the Persian
Chatrang, which we first hear of under date of about 540 A.D.,
was derived from the ancient Hindu Chaturanga, found described
in original Sanskrit records.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252