The earliest written evidence of chess is found in three romances (epic stories) written in Sassanid Persia around 600. The game was known as "chatrang" or "shatranj". When Persia was taken over by Muslims (633–644) the game was spread to all parts of the Muslim world. Muslim traders carried the game to Russia and to Western Europe. By the year 1000 it had spread all over Europe. In the 13th century a Spanish manuscript called "Libro de los Juegos" describes the games of "shatranj" (chess), backgammon, and dice.