Al Suli, who died in 946 is recorded to have been the greatest player among the Arabians.  Adali al Rumi was also a player of the very highest class, both of these as well as Abul Abbas a physician, who died in 899, and Lajlaj in the same age wrote treatises on the game.  Ibn Dandun and Al Kunaf, both of Bagdad were of the first class, called Aliyat.

Note.  Khusra Naushirawan, King of Persia, who reigned 528 to 576 (Anna Comnena, Lambe) or 531 to 579 (Forbes and biographers) seems to be the first Royal patron of chess and if we consider the accounts of Alexander the Great, and his contemporary Indian Kings insufficiently vouched Shahnama, (Asiatic Society’s M.S.), ranks as our earliest reigning great patron, (Justinian perhaps coming next).  Al Walid, conqueror of Spain, 705 to 715 A.D. is the first mentioned among Arabian rulers before the famous Harun Ar Rashid.  The enlightened, mild and humane Al Mamun (second son of Harun) the great patron of science, comes seventh on the list, and is supposed to have been the most enthusiastic and liberal of all the Khalifs, and we are told that it was a happy thing for any worthy man of learning or scholar to become known to him.  “Unluckily it is said for Oriental literature, but few of the Arabian treasures have been preserved, and of those that have, scarcely any are translated,” but there are abundant references to shew that some of the most powerful Eastern rulers were chess players, (Gibbon and others and Eastern historians) and probably as has been suggested, (Lambe, Bland, Forbes, &c., &c.,) many of them were devoted to or partial to the game, list of the Khalifs, Sultans, Emperors and Kings of the East, Africa, Spain and at times of Egypt and Persia, from Abu Bekr 632 to 1212 A.D. (the great battle) which finally overthrew the Moorish ascendancy.

The versions of Persian Chess.  Burzuvia 1, King of Hind 2.

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Abu Feda, who is regarded as one of the most reliable historians in the annals of the Muslims, records the following letter from Nicephorus, Emperor of the Romans to Harun, “Sovereign of the Arabs,” the date given being about 802 A.D.

After the usual compliments the epistle proceeds: 

“The Empress (Irene) into whose place I have succeeded looked upon you as a Rukh, and herself as a mere Pawn, therefore she submitted to pay you a tribute more than the double of which she ought to have exacted from you.  All this has been owing to female weakness and timidity.  Now, however, I insist that you immediately on reading this letter repay to me all the sums of money you ever received from her.  If you hesitate, the sword shall settle our accounts.”

In reply to this pithy epistle, Harun in great wrath wrote on the back of the leaf: 

“`In the name of God the Merciful and Gracious.’  From Harun the Commander of the Faithful to the Roman dog, Nicephorus.

“I have read thine epistle, thou son of an infidel mother.  My answer to it thou shalt see not here.  Nicephorus had to sue for peace, and to pay the tribute as before.”