Chapter 1 of 10 · Reading
Origins
Chess began in India around the 6th century as chaturanga, travelled through Persia and the Islamic world, and reached its modern rules in 15th-century Europe.
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Chess originated in the Gupta Empire of northern India around the 6th century CE as chaturanga — four divisions of the military: infantry (pawns), cavalry (knights), elephants (bishops), and chariots (rooks). It spread to Persia as shatranj, then reached Europe via the Islamic world by the 9th–10th centuries. The modern rules — including the queen's expanded movement, en passant, and castling — crystallized in 15th-century Spain and Italy.
- The queen was originally a weak piece called the 'counselor' (fers) — the powerful queen emerged in 15th-century Europe.
- En passant was added to prevent pawns from bypassing early attack after the two-square pawn move was introduced.