Chess Reaches Sassanid Persia as Chatrang

Around 600 CE, the Indian board game chaturanga was transmitted to Sassanid Persia, where it became known as chatrang. The Middle Persian text Wizarishn i chatrang describes an Indian envoy presenting the game as an intellectual challenge to the Sassanid court of Khosrow I. Persian adaptations included renaming pieces to reflect Sassanid military terminology and court culture. Players began calling Shah (king) when threatening the opposing ruler and Shah mat (the king is helpless) upon checkmate. After the Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th century, the game became shatranj and spread throughout the Islamic world.