Nasir al-Din al-Tusi
- Born:
- February 18, 1201, Tus, Khorasan, Persia (present-day Iran)
- Died:
- June 26, 1274, Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate (present-day Iraq)
- Nationality:
- Persian
- Profession(s):
- Polymath: Astronomer, Mathematician, Physician, Philosopher, Theologian, Biologist, Chemist, Logician, Jurist, Musician, and Scientist.
Early Life and Education
- Early education included studies in theology, philosophy, and mathematics.
- His father, a jurist, encouraged his intellectual pursuits.
- Traveled extensively seeking knowledge from various scholars and centers of learning.
Career and Major Achievements
- Served the Ismaili rulers before being captured by the Mongols.
- Became an advisor to Hulagu Khan and played a crucial role in the Mongol conquest of Baghdad.
- Founded and directed the Maragheh observatory, one of the most advanced astronomical institutions of its time.
- Oversaw the construction of the observatory and the acquisition of a vast collection of astronomical instruments.
- Led a team of astronomers who produced the Ilkhanic Tables (Zij-i Ilkhani), a comprehensive astronomical table.
Notable Works
- Tadhkira fi 'ilm al-hay'a (Memorandum on Astronomy): A critical review of Ptolemaic astronomy.
- Kitab al-Shakl al-Qatta' (Complete Book on the Quadrilateral): A comprehensive treatise on trigonometry.
- Zij-i Ilkhani (Ilkhanic Tables): An important astronomical table.
- Various works on philosophy, logic, medicine, and mathematics.
Legacy and Impact
Nasir al-Din al-Tusi significantly advanced various fields, particularly as the filosofo nasir al din al-tusi astronomy. His contributions to trigonometry and his meticulous astronomical observations laid the groundwork for later scientific advancements. The Maragheh observatory served as a model for future observatories and influenced scientific development in the Islamic world and beyond.