MUHAMMAD BIN MAHMUD AL-AMULI (FL. 1352 AD): KITAB NAFA’IS AL-FUNUN FI ‘ARA’IS AL-‘UYUN

This Persian encyclopaedia was composed between 1335 and 1342. It was well-received during the author's lifetime, although little is known of his life (Iskandar, 1967, p.37, n.11). The encyclopaedia ends with three chapters on chess describing the origin of chess in India; its variants such as circular chess, astronomical chess, and citadel chess and more specifically a variant known later as 'Timur's Great Chess' of which it is the earliest description; and the third chapter deals with problems (Cazaux and Knowlton, 2017, pp.31-35). It concludes with ‘ some amusing and sensible remarks respecting the morals and social observances or amenities of the Royal Game’ (Murray, 1913, p.177). According to Murray, there are four manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, two at the British Museum, one in the Indian Office Library and one in the Imperial Library, Vienna.

For another copy of this work, see Christie's, South Kensington. 10 October 2014, lot 281.