Chess is one of the world's oldest war games.
It was invented in northern India some time before A.D. 600, and the original pieces were based on the infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots of the ancient Indian army. These troops were led onto the chessboard by the king and his chief minister, the vizier. From India, chess spread to central Asia, China, Persia, and Europe, reaching Spain by the middle of the 11th century. In the West the design of the chess pieces changed to reflect the society of medieval Europe. The king remained, and the pawns were still the foot soldiers, but the elephant was replaced by the bishop, the horse became the knight, and the chariot was changed into the rook, or castle.