Chess History and Chronology by Bill Wall

Chess History and Chronology by Bill Wall (April 24, 2008)

0531       Khosrau I (Chosroes I or Anushirvan) becomes king of Persia until 579; under his reign, chess was introduced from India
0550       Chaturanga, earliest chess precursor, created in the Punjab.
0570       FABLES OF PILPAY written for Chosroes I, king of Persia; mentions chess
0570       Form of chess being played in China with dice.
0570       Mohammad, founder of Islam, born.  Died in 632.  Had an impact on chess.
0590       Chatrang was an accepted noble accomplishment.
0600       Chessmen mentioned in the Sanskrit fantasy romance, Vasavadatta by Subandhu.
0600       1st reference to chess (shatranj) in literature, the Persian romantic KARNAMAK.
0610       Earliest chess pieces identified.
0620       Chess introduced in Egypt.
0625       Chaturanga mentioned in the Sanskrit, Harshacharita, by Bana.
0630       Chatrang (old Persian word for chess) developed from chaturanga.
0632       Mohammad died (born in 570).
0634       Abu Bekr, first caliph, succeeded as caliph by Omar I; conquers Syria, Persia, and Egypt
0638       The Caliph Omar (584-644) sanctions chess among the Islamic people.
0638       Islamic conquest of Persia changes chatrang to shatranj.
0640       Buddhists spread chatrang eastward.
0650       Short romance written in Persian, Chatrang-namak, describing chess.
0656       Ali Ben Abu Talib (600-661) becomes caliph; disapproves of chess for Muslims.
0665       Sa'id Bin Jubair born.  1st to play blindfold.
0665       Amr ibn al-Asi, Muslim general and conqueror of Egypt died.  Chessplayer.
0680       50th rule of the canons forbids chess.
0685       Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan reigned.  A chessplayer. 
0690       Chess prohibited in Japan by the Emperor Jito.
0700       Sa'id Bin Jubair, a Black judge, plays blindfold chess.
0705       Abdalmalik b. Marwan died.  Earliest Umayyad calph associated with chess.
0710       Walid I kills chessplayer when the player purposely played bad against him.
0712       Seville conquered by Arabs.  Moorish invaders bring chess to Iberia.
0714       Sa'id Bin Jubair died.
0715       al-Waldi I died.  Killed a chessplayer who avoided beating the caliph.
0720       1st literary references to chess in Arabic.
0725       Sulaiman ibn Yashar died.  Disapproved chess.
0728       Arabic poet al-Farazdaq died.  His will mentions pawns of chess.
0735       Living chess introduced in Europe by Charles Martel (688-741).
0742       az-Zuhi died.  Great laywer of the Umayyad period and chessplayer.
0743       Hisham ibn Abdal-Malik died.  Caliph and chessplayer. Ruled 724-743
0750       Abbasid caliphs come to power in Baghdad.  Document chess.
0763       Harun ar-Rashid born.  Abbasid caliph of Islam 786-809.  Chessplayer
0770       1st mention of women chessplayers.
0776       Poet Abu Hafs Omar ibn Abdalaziz called ash-Shatranji, the chessplayer.
0780       Moorish invaders of Spain introduce chess to Western Europe.
0780       al-Mahdi write a letter to Mecca to give up chess, dice, and archery.
0790       Earliest known chess piece dates to this period.
0795       1st reference to Chinese chess in the HUAN KWAI LU (Book of Marvels).
0800       Chinese chess (Hsiang ch'i) introduced.
0800       Moors bring chess to Spain.  Chess reaches Italy.
0800       Corr. game by Emperor Nicephorus and Haron Al-Rashid.
0800       Al-Rushid (786-809), Caliph of Baghdad, 1st caliph to play chess.
0800?      al-Adli ar-Rumi born.  Chessplayer
0801       Charlemagne (742-814) introduced to chess.
0802       Nicephorus of Byzantium (Byzantime emperor from 802 to 811) writes to al-Rashid about chess.
0805       Ash-shafi'i, famous muslim lawyer, plays blindfold.
0808       Al Amon, Caliph of Baghdad protested at being disturbed while playing.
0809       Harun ar-Rashid died.  Abbasid caliph of Islam 786-809.  1st in his dynasty to play chess.
0813       Abdullah al-Mamum (786-833), son of Harun ar-Rashid, reigned.  Chessplayer.
0818       Top players were Jabir al-Kufi, Rabrab, and Abu'n-Na'am. (aliyat)
0819       al-Mamum watched Rabrab, Jabir al-Kufi, and Abdalghaffar al-Ansari play chess in Baghdad.
0819       Caliph Al-Ma'mun (Abdullah alMa'mun) gives 4 players the grandmaster title.
0820       Chess introduced in Russia thru the Caspian-Volga trade route.
0821       Chess introduced by Ziriab (Abul Hassan Ali ben Nafi) in Cordoba.  He was a Persian musician who lived in Baghdad.
0840       1st chess problem composed by the caliph Al-Aziz Billah.
0840       al-Aldi is considered the best chessplayer (aliyat)
0842       al-Aldi, authors 'a book of chess.'
0842       al-Mutasim ibn Harun ar-Rashid died.  Chess problem attributed to him.
0848       ar-Razi defeats al-Aldi in the presence of al-Mutawakki.
0848       Yahya ben Hahya died in Cordoba.  Chess author.
0849       Reference to chess in Kashmir Hara-vijaya (Victory of Siva) by Ratnakara.
0850       Decimal chess invented.  Board is 10 x 10.  1st use of dice in chess.
0860       Mohammed I, Emir of Cordoba from 852 to 886, is a passionate chess player.
0866       Abdullah Ibn Al-Mutazz was playing chess when the head of his chief arrival was brought to him.
0875       1st reference to knight's tour (turaga) in the Sanskrit Kavyalankara (ornaments of poetry) by Rudrata.
0880       Abu-Bakr Muhammad ben Yahya as-Suli born (880-946).  Author of 1st book on shatranj.
0880       Coordinate notation used in the Arab countries.
0892       al-Mutadid (Ah mad alMutadid) comes to power.  Chessplayer.
0895       Chess introduced to the Greeks; call it zatrikion.
0900       Chessplayers in India wages their fingers in chess matches.
0900       Chess introduced into Europe.
0902       al-Muktafi reigns (902-908); as-Suli is his best chess player.
0905       as-Suli defeats al-Mawardi in front of al-Muktafi.
0905       Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Yahya as-Suli, historian and top chess player.
0910       al-lajlaj (the stammerer) is the first to publish openings.
0920       Chess pieces are given Persian names.
0932       ar-Radi reigns.  Taught chess by as-Suli.
0936       Saint Genadio died.  First Christian saint related with chess.  Was Bishop of Astorga.
0938       Chess pieces donated to the Celanova monastary.
0946       As-Suli died at Basra; strongest shatranj player in Baghdad.
0947       al-Ma'sudi, writes on the history of chess in India and Byzantine chess.
0950       Einsiedeln manuscript mentions the colored chessboard as a recent invention
0960       Further references of Chinese chess in the sung period.
0970       Abul Faraj Muhammad ibn Obaidallah, or al Lajlaj (the Stammerer) died.  Pupil of as-Suli.
0973       Al-Beruni born.  Wrote INDIA, which mentioned chess.
0975       Daqiqi begins the SHAHAMA, national epic of Persia
0975       Saint Rosendo (907-975) died.  Was a chessplayer.  He was Bishop of Mondonedo.
0980       Rabbi Abu Yachia describes chess in his Hebrew writings.
0988       Ibn an-Nadim writes on a whole succession of leading players and chessbooks.
0999       Versus de scachis is a 98-line poem describing the game & its rules.
0999       Earlist known literary account of chess in Europe, the Einsiedeln Verses, Switzerland.
1000       Chess is widely known throughout Europe.
1000?      A series of documents appear in the county of Urgell (Urgel), Spain (Catalan county) mentioning chess.
1000       Chess reaches Russia from Byzantium and from the the Vikings.
1000       The daughter of Otto II (955-983) was "won" from a chess match.
1005       Chess is banned in Egypt by al-Hakim; and all chess sets were burned.
1007       Petrus Damiani born.
1008.07.28 1st written reference to chess in Europe, from a will of Ermengaud (Armengol) I, Count of Urgell.
1011       Firdausi (Ferdowsi) (935-1020) completes Shahnama or Book of Kings.  Written in Persian.  References to chess.
1013       Chess brought to England with the Danish invasion.
1027       Canute (995-1035), King of Denmark and England, learns to play chess from pilgrimmage to Rome.
1030       al-Beruni writes of an Indian form of 4-handed chess and dice. - INDIA
1033       Chess pieces donated by Sancho II of Navarra to the church of San Millan de la Cogolla.
1035       Canute died.
1045       Priest from Urgell called Seniofredo donates chess set to the church of San Julian de Bar.
1045.10.22 Testimony drawn up by Ramon Levita of Badalona, bequesting his chess set to his brother.
1048       Al-Beruni died.  Wrote INDIA which mentioned chess.
1050       Earliest reference of chess in the German literature, the Latin epic Ruodlieb.
1055       Chess poem, Ludus scacorum or Elgia de Ludo Scachorum, written.
1058       al-Mawardi died.  Wrote about chess.
1058       Countess Ermessinda, widow of Count Ramon Borell (972-1017) wills her chess set to the abbey of San Egidio
1060       William the Conqueror (1027-1087) breaks chessboard over the head of the dauphin of France
1061.12    Cardinal Bishop Pedro Damiani (1007-1072) of Ostia writes to Pope Alexander II to forbid chess from the clergy
1066       Chess introduced into Britain.
1068       testament of Arsenda, wife of Arnau de Tost, stating that her chess board remains with her husband
1070       al-mutamid, Moorish king, regarded as a chess patron.
1071       Arnau Mir de Tost lists his 13 chess sets as part of his assets prior to him going on a pilgrimage
1072       Damiani died.
1078       ibn Ammar defeats King Alfonso VI (1040-1109) of Castile in a game of chess.  Was spared Seville. (Muslim origin)
1080       Normans name the financial departments exchequer.
1081       Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Commenus (1048-1118) comes to power.  Plays chess (zakitron) with his court.
1082       Regulations of chess in persia are published.
1089       Jayyash leads revolt after disguising himself as indian chessplayer.
1090       Boards with alternating light and dark squares are introduced.
1092       Abraham Ben Ezra b. in Tudela, Spain.  Author of Hebrew chess works.
1093       Chess is condemned by the eastern orthodox church.
1097       1st French reference to chess by Fouche de Chartes and Robert de St. Remi, who mention chess as a pastime
1098       Turkish General Karbuga was playing chess during the siege of Antioch by Peter the Hermit.
1100       Abu 'l-Fath Ahmad as-Sinjari writes chess manuscript containing 287 mansubat.
1100       1st Central European reference to chess.
1100       Chess becomes accepted as a regular featue of noble life.
1100       Chess introduced in Poland.
1100       Shogi played in Japan.
1100       The French Carolingian epic, Song of Roland, mentions chess.
1105       Omar Khayyam (1048-1131) writes the 'rubaiyat,' using a chess game.
1106       Chess included in a list of knightly accomplishments by Peter Alfonsi (Petrus Alphonsus) (1062-1110)
1106       Henry I (1068-1135) allowed his brother Robert Curthouse, Duke of Normandy, to play chess while imprisoned for 28 years.
1106       Exchequer at Westminster created; referred to as the scaccarium or chessboard.
1107       A chess problem is represented in the mosaic floor in the Saint Savino Church in Piacenza
1108       ar-Raghib died.  Wrote that the Medinese refused to give their daughters in marriage to chessplayers.
1110       John Zonares, Eastern Church monk, excommunicated chessplayers.
1110       Louis VI of France almost made a prisoner.  Escaped, saying that in chess the king cannot be captured.
1112       Dauphin throws chess pieces at King Henry I after losing.
1115       The emperor of the Byzantine empire is a chess addict.
1119       1st corr game: Henry I (1068-1135) of England & Louis VI (1081-1137).
1120       Oldest known chess set, the Lewis chessmen, from this period.
1123       Kyayyam wrote the RUBAIYAT with chess references
1125       Chess is banned in some byzantine churches.
1128       St. Bernard (1090-1153) forbids the knights templars from chess.
1130       Draughts, a variant of chess, invented in the south of France using backgammon pieces.
1140       The fers's (queen')s leap is introduced in Spain by Ezra.
1140       1st chess poems in Hebrew, by Ezra.
1140       Al-Mubarak writes Arabic manuscript for Abd-al-Hamid (AH manuscript)
1140       The Franciscan William de Malsmesbury mentions chess.
1144       Hyde Abbey, Winchester, destroyed by fire.  Chessmen from King Cnut.
1148       Alexiad of Anna Comnena mentions Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus playing chess.
1150       Bone chessmen were being made.  Lewis chessmen dated here.
1150       Draughts (checkers) started in France.
1157       A danish king saved himself by using a chessboard as a shield.
1157       Alexander Neckam (1157-1217) born.  Abbot of the Augustine Monastary of Cirencester.  Wrote of chess.
1167       Earliest spanish reference to chess.
1167       Abraham Ezra died in London.  Wrote several Hebrew works on chess.
1173       A French manuscript uses algebraic notation.
1180       1st British reference to chess, by a Winchester monk.
1189       1st European reference to chess problems, by Gerald of Wales.
1190       King Richard I (1157-99) learns chess while on the crusades.
1190       Alexander Neckam devotes a chapter to chess in his treatise, On the Nature of Things.
1190       Neckam condemns chess for being frivolous.
1195       The rabbi Maimonides includes chess among the forbidden games.
1197       Abbot of Persigny writes to Countess of Perche warning her against chess.
1199       John Lackland, King of England, was a keen chess player.
1200       Courier chess, played on a 12x8 board, introduced.
1200       Great chess, played on a 100 square board, introduced.
1202       4th Crusade (1202-1204)
1208       The bishop of Paris, Odo Sully, bans chess from the clergy.
1210       Morality of chess according to Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) written.
1212       Ferrand of Portugal hit his wife Jeanne over a game of chess.
1213       King John was playing chess when his deputies from Rouen arrived to ask for his help against King Augustus.
1217       Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, born.
1220       Chess is no longer played with dice to determine moves.
1230       Icelandic ST OLAF'S SAGA (Snorri Sturluson) contains chess reference.  1st appearance of chess in the Norse lands.
1230       Astronomical chess introduced.
1240       Chess forbidden to the clergy in Worcester, England.
1242       Al-Mustasim, Abbasid caliph, reigned
1250       King Louis of France throws a chess set overboard during a trip from Egypt to the Holy Land.
1250       King Louis IX (1214-1270) receives a fine chess set from Aladdin.
1250       The king of Denmark was captured while playing chess.
1250       Latin verse romance, the Vetula, by Richard de Fournival.  Mentions chess.
1250       Mabinogion, Welsh epic, attains written form.  Chess mentioned.
1250?      Cessole, Jacopo da, (Cessolis), born in Italy.  Author of the most famous of chess moralities.
1252       THE INNOCENT MORALITY chess allegory written by John of Wales.
1254.08.16 Court case about a chessplayer who stabbed his opponent to death.
1254.12    St Louis IX of France restricts chess to laymen and forbids all games in his kingdoms.
1255.05.08 Provincial Council of Beziers in France forbids chess.
1257       Arabic manuscript now in British museum (BM manuscript)
1258       Al-Mustasim put to death by invading Mongols.
1258       end of Abbasid caliphs.
1260       King Henry III (1207-72) instructs the clergy to leave chess alone.
1262       Russian word for chess (shakmatny) is introduced.
1264       Quarrel over chess game; man stabs woman to death.
1265       Buzecca played 2 games blindfold, 1 OTB (+2=1) in Florence.
1265       Hulagu Khan died.
1268       Conradon was playing chess in prison before being executed.
1271       Ruling dalmation towns of Yugoslavia was determined by a chess match.
1273       Cotton MS is the earliest English collection of chess problems.
1275       Cessole writes the most important of all moralities and most copied.
1275       Option of pawn double move on the 1st move introduced in Italy.
1279       Chinese introduce new pieces to Chinese chess (siang ki)
1283       Alfonso manuscript prescribed the use of a checkered board.
1283       Dice chess explained by King Alfonso X in his manuscript.
1283       Alfonso manuscript completed.  Compiled for Alfonso X, Castile King.  Called Libro del Acedrex.
1290       Lombard lawyer, Guido de Baysio, formulate rules to govern chess.
1291       The Archbishop of Cantebury, John Peckman, forbids chess.
1295       BONUS SOCIUS is 1st European MS using a coordinate notation.
1295       Bonus Socius, 1st compilation of chess problems, written in Lombardy.
1299       Priests were forbidden from playing chess.
1300       Gesta Romanorum, a chess morality compiled in England, written.
1300       Cessole writes 'Book of the customs of men and the duties of nobles'.  Chess morales. (liber de moribus)
1309       Ponce Hugo, Count of Ampurias, donates chessmen to the cathedral of Gerona.
1310       Chess forbidden to the clergy in Germany (Council of Trier).
1317       Cessole in charge of the inquisition in Genoa.
1320       Playing cards introduced.
1322       Jewish rabbi, Kalonymos Ben Kalonymos, condemns chess in his Eben Hohan.
1323       CHATRANG-NAMAK written; oldest of Pahlawi works
1328       ibn Taimiya (a Hanabalite) says chess can be played, but not for money.
1329       Synod of Wurzburg, Germany forbids chess.
1330       Citadel chess invented.  Extra square at each corner.
1331       al-jami plays 2 games blindfolded and a 3rd, simultaneously.
1335       Robert, King of Hungary, sent John, King of Bohemia, a chess set.
1335       1st written reference of chess in Hungary.  King Robert sent a chess set to the king of Bohemia.
1336       Timur born.  Mongol ruler and chess enthusiast,
1337       Ammenhausen writes about courier chess.
1340       persian 'treasury of sciences' includes 3 chapters on chess.
1347       1st translation of the Cessolis morality into French.
1350       Margiolano of Florence is recognized as the leading blindfold player.
1360       Les Amoureux Eschecs written.  Best example of romantic allegory.
1369       Chaucer (1343-1400) writes about chess in his poem The Book of the Duchess.
1370       Earlist known chess puzzle called arrangement.
1370       Pope Gregory xi (1329-1378) is an avid chessplayer.
1370       Arabic manuscript written; belonged to Sultan of Egypt; in Cairo; (C manuscript)
1374       Timur names his son shah-rukh after playing chess
1375       Charles V (1337-80) of France prohibits chess.
1380       William of Wykeleham, founder of Oxford, forbids chess.
1390.10.10 John I of Aragon requested a board and set at his lodging in Valencia.
1391       Orleans, Charles d' born.  French prince and chessplyer.
1391       Charles D'Orleans b.  Chess player and father of Louis XII.
1392       Charles VI (1368-1422) forbids chess.
1397.02.05 Louis, Duke of Orleans, purchased an elaborate chessboard.
1407       Louis, Duke of Orleans, died.  Chessplayer.
1408       The Sultan Mohammed plays live chess in Grenada, Spain.
1410       Martin of Aragon is an avid collector of chess sets and books.
1412       John Lydgate wrote Reson and sensuallyte, a romantic allegory.
1416       Jews of Forli banned all games of chance except chess.
1420       German king abandons the prohibition of chess.
1422       Cracow manuscript states that stalemate is a draw.
1422       Cracow poem attributes the invention of chess to Ulysses.
1425       1st reference to chess as 'the royal game' in Lydgates translation.
1430       Charles VII (1403-61), King of France, is a chess addict.
1433       Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, born.  Strong chessplayer.
1435       Bernat Fenollar born.  Catalan poet from Valencia, Spain.  One of the authors of "Scachs d'amor."  Chess arbiter
1437       King James I of Scotland was playing chess when he was murdered.
1440       CIVIS BONONIAI, collection of chess problems, incorporated in Florentine manuscript.
1445       Narcis Vinyoles born.  Catalan poet from Valenica, Spain.
1450       Custom of attaching to each problem an author.
1454       Best copy of Civis Bononiae's manuscript made.  Now in Modena.
1454       Living chess played in Morostica, Italy for the hand of a lady.
1457.05    Charles, Duke of Orleans, wins a rare chess manuscript.
1460       Charles the Bold (1433-77) considered the best player of his time.
1464       statute included chessmen in a list of goods which were no onger to be imported.
1465       Orleans, Charles d' died.  French prince and chessplyer.  Father of Louis XII.
1464       Luis Ramirez Lucena born.  Chess author.
1467       Colonna's Hypnerotomachia Poliphili describes chess balet.
1470       INNOCENT MORALITY published.  1st printed reference to chess.
1471?      Gottingen manuscript published (maybe as late as 1475).  1st work devoted to modern chess.
1472       1st printing of the Gesta Romanorum morality, in Latin.
1472       1st hardback book dealing with chess published.
1474       Caxton (1422-1491) publishes 'the game and playe of chesse.'
1474.12    Gottingen manuscript in the hands of King Alfonso V of Portugal.
1475       Beginning of modern chess starts in southern Europe.
1475       Fers replaced by the queen and the aufin replaced by the bishop.
1476       At Louvaine, Charles the Bold forbids cards & dice, but not chess.
1477       Charles the Bold died.
1480?      Damiano, Pedro born in Odemira, Portugal.   Wrote 1st chess book in Italian.
1485       1st known modern chess game recorded.
1490       1st chess painting 'the chess players,' by a Venetian artist.

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