GerbertDied 12 May 1003 (born c. 945).Pope Sylvester II also known as Gerbert d'Aurillac was a French scholar who was one of the foremost learned men in his time, with good knowledge of mathematics, astronomy and mechanics. He popularized these topics for the layman, so the public would appreciate benefits of science. Inspired by translations of Arabic texts, and his own inventive genius, he built clocks, the hydraulic organ, astronomical instruments, andrenewed interest inthe abacus for use in mathematical calculations. He may have introduced Arabic numerals (except zero) as used by Khwarizmi. He became Pope Sylvester II, the first French Pope, recognized as the most important of his century. He began to lead Europe out of the Dark Ages.« |
