Tag Archives: mathematics

Gerbert as Pope Sylvester, 999-1003

Gerbert’s first royal pupil, Otto II, was married to a Greek princess and fully in control of his kingdoms by age 18. He continued his father’s project of campaigns against the Slavs; the Poles and Bohemians were converting to Christianity—and … Continue reading

Posted in Islam History C: the Abbasids, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Gerbert as Pope Sylvester, 999-1003

Gerbert of Aurillac and Numbers, 960-83

In the 960s, a French monk named Gerbert of Aurillac came to Barcelona under the protection of its Count. The Count met him while traveling, stopping in the Benedictine monastery of Aurillac, and was so impressed with the young man’s … Continue reading

Posted in Islam History C: the Abbasids | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Gerbert of Aurillac and Numbers, 960-83

Gerbert of Aurillac: early years

In the 960s, a French monk named Gerbert of Aurillac came to Barcelona under the protection of its Count. The Count met him while traveling, stopping in the Benedictine monastery of Aurillac, and was so impressed with the young man’s … Continue reading

Posted in Muslim Empire (old series) | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Arabic numerals

Our digital numeral system came first from India, but spent a long time as the dominant system in the Arabic kingdoms before entering Latin and Europe. The numbers aren’t really Arabic in the way a keffiyeh is; but they became … Continue reading

Posted in Muslim Empire (old series), Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment