You’d be surprised to know that the many pieces on your chess board have a very fascinating and complex history. Over the many years, the pieces on your chess board have taken many names as the game’s influence spread worldwide. In this article, you’ll see a glimpse of the game’s history and learn about the origins of the names of the chess pieces.
Chess’s origins and the names of the pieces
The origins of chess can be traced back to the 7th century in India, where it was known as “chaturanga” during that time. Nine hundred years later, this game would find its way to Iceland, where it is called “skák.” While reaching Iceland, chaturanga would also reach the Persian, Arab and European regions, where it maintained the board, pieces, and majority of the game’s rules.
Slowly, the representation of a battlefield would become a game many enjoy. As it also entered many cultural spaces, the pieces would take on various names, and you’ll get to learn them individually.
The Pawn
The pawn’s original name in Sanskrit was “padati,” which means foot soldier. Other names that it used as it entered different regions were “pion” in France and “pawn” in England, which also translates as “foot soldier.” Spain used “peon,” and the Danes used “bonde” for the pawn piece as the word translates to a farmer, as they were used in Medieval Warfare as cannon fodder.
The Knight
The knight was initially known as “asva,” Sanskrit for horse, due to its game mechanic where it can jump over other pieces. However, as chaturanga’s influence spread westward — the piece now refers to the horse mount, the rider, or the movement it makes.
Examples are “cavallo,” which is a horse in Spanish, “riddari,” which means rider in Icelandic, and “springare,” which refers to the springing motion of the chess piece in Sweden.
The Rook
The rook has a rather interesting point of origin. It started as a chariot, but somehow became a castle tower! During the chaturanga, it was known as “ratha” in Sanskrit, which means chariot. The Persians use the term “rukh,” which also means chariot.
The most known theory on how the Rook piece came to be is that the Persian word “rukh” sounds close to the Italian word “rocca,” an old Italian word for fortress. This association would then result in the chess piece being called “torre” and “castello,” which are Spanish words for tower and castle, respectively.
The Bishop
The Bishop also has a fascinating history as it is known as “hasti,” which means elephant in Sanskrit. The Persians also use “pil,” which means elephant as well.
As chess entered European territory, the term used for the piece became more complex. It was known as “fou,” which means the jester or fool in France. In Italy, it was known as “alfiere,” the standard bearer in their language.
However, the name Bishop could be traced back to the Lewis Chessmen of the 12th century. The walrus ivory-carved pieces have the bishops dressed in iconic garb during that era.
The Queen
The queen piece was initially called “mantri,” which is the king’s counselor in Sanskrit. Arabs would then use “wazir,” known as the vizier or the ruler’s secretary. The Latinized version of the word was “farzia,” which became “vierge” or virgin in French.
How the queen piece resulted from mistranslation over time since Medieval Europe had a trend of feminizing the king’s companion. For instance, in France — the “vierge” piece would then become “reine” or queen, and then one century later, it became “dame” or lady.
The King
The king’s piece mainly remained consistent no matter where it went. Its original term is “rajah,” which is Sanskrit for the king, whereas the Persians use “shah.”
In other regions, as mentioned a while ago — this piece has the most consistency in translation. For example, the piece is known as koról’ (king) or tsar (emperor) in Russia. Germany uses könig, which also means king.
In summary
The chess pieces have taken on many names as they passed through each cultural filter. Sometimes the chess pieces’ names are consistent with the original version. However, some came to what they are now due to mistranslation among many regions. Nonetheless, chess and its many pieces possess a colorful history worth looking into, especially if you enjoy the game.
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