May 4, 2023·edited May 4, 2023Liked by Oliver Johnson
Nice list. I'll throw in my favourite: Ulugh Beg of Samarkand, Timurid Sultan, and grandson of Tamerlane. Built an enormous observatory housing a 40 metre sextant which made astronomical observations of such accuracy that were only matched in Europe in the 19th Century. Founded schools of mathematics that attracted the leading mathematicians of Central Asia (which at the time, meant the world), and led their discussions of mathematical problems personally, showing world-class ability in trigonometry and spherical geometry.
Sadly, far more interested in calculating specific values of sin(x) to 12 significant figures than noticing that his own son was about to stab him in the back (literally) and take his throne.
Nice list. I'll throw in my favourite: Ulugh Beg of Samarkand, Timurid Sultan, and grandson of Tamerlane. Built an enormous observatory housing a 40 metre sextant which made astronomical observations of such accuracy that were only matched in Europe in the 19th Century. Founded schools of mathematics that attracted the leading mathematicians of Central Asia (which at the time, meant the world), and led their discussions of mathematical problems personally, showing world-class ability in trigonometry and spherical geometry.
Sadly, far more interested in calculating specific values of sin(x) to 12 significant figures than noticing that his own son was about to stab him in the back (literally) and take his throne.