Adriaan van Roomen (29 September 1561 – 4 May 1615), also known as Adrianus Romanus, was a

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...

, professor of medicine and medical astronomer from the

Duchy of Brabant The Duchy of Brabant was a State of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of the Burgundian Netherlands from 1430 and of the Habsburg Neth ...

in the

Habsburg Netherlands Habsburg Netherlands was the Renaissance period fiefs in the Low Countries held by the Holy Roman Empire's House of Habsburg. The rule began in 1482, when the last House of Valois-Burgundy, Valois-Burgundy ruler of the Netherlands, Mary of Burgu ...

who was active throughout Central Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. As a mathematician he worked in

algebra Algebra () is one of the broad areas of mathematics. Roughly speaking, algebra is the study of mathematical symbols and the rules for manipulating these symbols in formulas; it is a unifying thread of almost all of mathematics. Elementary a ...

trigonometry Trigonometry () is a branch of mathematics that studies relationships between side lengths and angles of triangles. The field emerged in the Hellenistic world during the 3rd century BC from applications of geometry to astronomical studies. T ...

and

geometry Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is c ...

; and on the

decimal expansion A decimal representation of a non-negative real number is its expression as a sequence of symbols consisting of decimal digits traditionally written with a single separator: r = b_k b_\ldots b_0.a_1a_2\ldots Here is the decimal separator, i ...

of π. He solved the

Problem of Apollonius In Euclidean plane geometry, Apollonius's problem is to construct circles that are tangent to three given circles in a plane (Figure 1). Apollonius of Perga (c. 262 190 BC) posed and solved this famous problem in his work (', "Tangencies ...

using a new method that involved intersecting hyperbolas. He also wrote on the

Gregorian calendar reform The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years diffe ...

Life

Van Roomen was born in

Leuven Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic ...

, the son of Adriaan Van Roomen and Maria Van Den Daele. He was educated partly in Leuven and partly After studying at the Jesuit College in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

, also attending the

University of Cologne The University of Cologne (german: Universität zu Köln) is a university in Cologne, Germany. It was established in the year 1388 and is one of the most prestigious and research intensive universities in Germany. It was the sixth university to ...

where he began his study of medicine.Henri Bosmans, "Romain (Adrien)", ''

Biographie Nationale de Belgique The ''Biographie nationale de Belgique'' ( French; "National Biography of Belgium") is a biographical dictionary of Belgium. It was published by the Royal Academy of Belgium in 44 volumes between 1866 and 1986. A continuation series, entitled the ' ...

''
vol. 19
(Brussels), 848-888. He also briefly studied medicine at Leuven University. Roomen was professor of mathematics and medicine at Louvain from 1586 to 1592. He met

Kepler Johannes Kepler (; ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, best known for his laws o ...

, and discussed with

François Viète François Viète, Seigneur de la Bigotière ( la, Franciscus Vieta; 1540 – 23 February 1603), commonly know by his mononym, Vieta, was a French mathematician whose work on new algebra was an important step towards modern algebra, due to i ...

two questions about equations and tangencies. He then spent some time in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, particularly with

Clavius Christopher Clavius, SJ (25 March 1538 – 6 February 1612) was a Jesuit German mathematician, head of mathematicians at the Collegio Romano, and astronomer who was a member of the Vatican commission that accepted the proposed calendar inve ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

in 1585. His publication of 1595, ''Parvum theatrum urbium'', contained Latin verse on the cities of Italy (possibly written by Thomas Edwards).Matthew Steggle, 'Edwards, Thomas ( fl. 1587–1595)’,

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

, Oxford University Press, 2004 In June 1593 Van Roomen became the inaugural professor of medicine at the newly refounded

University of Würzburg The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. The University of Würzburg is one of ...

. He was also appointed physician in ordinary to the court of

Rudolf II Rudolf II (18 July 1552 – 20 January 1612) was Holy Roman Emperor (1576–1612), King of Hungary and Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg), Croatia (as Rudolf I, 1572–1608), King of Bohemia (1575–1608/1611) and Archduke of Austria (1576–160 ...

. From around 1595 to 1603 he produced calendars, almanacs and prognostications published under the patronage of

Julius Echter Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn (18 March 1545 – 9 September 1617) was Prince-Bishop of Würzburg from 1573. He was born in Mespelbrunn Castle, Spessart ( Lower Franconia) and died in Würzburg. Life He was educated in Mainz, Leuven, ...

, prince-bishop of Würzburg. At the same time, he served as mathematician of the king of Poland and become famous for the computation of the value of Pi to sixteen decimals, (here cited p. 131). surpassing

who had arrived at ten digits. After being widowed he was ordained to the

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

hood in 1604 and on 8 October 1608 was installed as a canon of the

collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons: a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a ...

of St John the Evangelist in Würzburg. His ''Mathesis Polemica'', published in Frankfurt in 1605, explained the military applications of mathematics. In June 1610 he was in Prague, after which he travelled to

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

at the invitation of

Jan Zamoyski Jan Sariusz Zamoyski ( la, Ioannes Zamoyski de Zamoscie; 19 March 1542 – 3 June 1605) was a Polish nobleman, magnate, and the 1st '' ordynat'' of Zamość. He served as the Royal Secretary from 1565, Deputy Chancellor from 1576, Grand Cha ...

to give public lectures on mathematics at

Zamość Zamość (; yi, זאמאשטש, Zamoshtsh; la, Zamoscia) is a historical city in southeastern Poland. It is situated in the southern part of Lublin Voivodeship, about from Lublin, from Warsaw. In 2021, the population of Zamość was 62,021. ...

Red Ruthenia Red Ruthenia or Red Rus' ( la, Ruthenia Rubra; '; uk, Червона Русь, Chervona Rus'; pl, Ruś Czerwona, Ruś Halicka; russian: Червонная Русь, Chervonnaya Rus'; ro, Rutenia Roșie), is a term used since the Middle Ages fo ...

. He made the return journey via Hungary, arriving back in Würzburg at the end of 1611. Struggling with health problems, Van Roomen undertook a journey to

Spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

to take the waters but died en route at

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...

in the arms of his son, who was travelling with him.

Works

''Universae mathesis idea'', 1602 * ''Ouranographia sive caeli descriptio'' (Leuven,

Joannes Masius Jan Maes or Joannes Masius (active 1566–1615) was a printer and bookseller in the university town of Leuven in the Habsburg Netherlands. Career Masius, a native of Leuven, moved to Antwerp to work for Christopher Plantin at the Plantin Press in 1 ...

, 1591) * ''Ideae mathematicae pars prima, sive methodus polygonorum'' (Antwerp, Jan van Keerbergen, 1593) * ''Canon triangulorum rectangulorum, tam sphaericorum quam rectilineorum, methodo brevissima'' ( euven 1593) * ''Supputatio Ecclesiastica Secundum novam et antiquam Calendarii rationem'' (Würzburg, 1595) * ''Parvum Theatrum Urbium'' (Frankfurt, Nicolaus Bassalus, 1595). * ''Almanack Wurztburger Bisthumbs, awff das Jar nach Christi unsers Seligmacher Geburt 1596'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1596) * ''In Archimedis circuli dimensionem expositio et analysis'' (Würzburg, 1597) * ''Newer und Alter Schreib Calender auf das M.D.XCVIII Jar'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1598) * ''Newer und Alter Screib Calender Auff das MDXCIX Jar'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1599) * ''Almanach Würtzburger Bisthumbs auff das Jar nach der heilsamen Geburt Jesu Christi MDC'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1600) * ''Prognosticon Astrologicum oder Teutsche Practica auff das Jar nach der allein selichmachenden Geburt Unsers Heylands Jesu Christi M.DC.'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1600) * ''Newer und Alter Schreib Calender auff das M.DCI. Jar'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1601) * ''Prognosticon Astrologicum oder Teutsche Practica auff das Jar nach der Glorwürdigen Geburt Jesu Christi M.DCI.'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1601) * ''Almanach Wurtzburger Bisthumbs auff dass Jar nach der heilsamen Geburt Jesu Christi M.DC.II.'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1602) * ''Newer und Alter Schreib Calender auff das M.DC.II. Jar'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1602) * ''Prognosticum astrologicum oder Teutsche Practica auff das M.DC.II. Jar'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1602) * ''Universae mathesis idea'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1602) * ''Chordarum arcubus circuli primariis'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1602) * ''Newer und Alter Schreib Calender auff das M.DC.III. Jar'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1603) * ''Prognosticon Astrologicum oder Teutsche Practica auff das Jar ... M.DC.III.'' (Würzburg, Georgius Fleischmann, 1603) * ''Arithmetica quatuor instrumenta nova Methodo ac forma patente exhibita'' (Würzburg, 1603) * ''Mathesis Polemica'' (Frankfurt, 1605) * ''Speculum Astronomicum sive Organum Forma Mappae Expressum'' (Leuven, Joannes Masius, 1606) * ''Canon triangulorum sphaericorum'' (Mainz, Joannis Albini, 1609) * ''Pyrotechnia, hoc est, de ignibus festivis, jocosis artificialibus et seriis, variisque eorum structuris libri duo'' (Frankfurt, Palthenius, 1611)Pyrotechnia
on Google Books.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roomen, Adriaan van 1561 births 1615 deaths 16th-century Dutch mathematicians 17th-century Dutch mathematicians Pi-related people Scientists from Leuven Catholic clergy scientists Astronomers of the Spanish Netherlands

Life

See also

Works

References

External links