Adelard of Bath: The First English Scientist

Mathematician, philosopher, prolific author, translator and astrologer, Adelard of Bath still found time to tutor the future Henry II, to assist the Exchequer and to compose treatises on subjects ranging from the care of falcons to the uses of the astrolabe. Born in 1080 into a bishop's extended family, Adelard took full advantage of the exceptional opportunities such a background had to offer, studying at Tours and Laon and travelling to Syria and Greece. His translation from the Arabic of Euclid's "Elements", and his introduction into the West of astronomic tables, Hindu-Arabic numerals, and the use of zero, made him a key contributor to the conceptual revolution which initiated iniated modern scientific methods. This general study of Adelard's work discusses his numerous manuscripts and their influence on contemporary thought, as well as presenting information about his life.