al-Khwarizmi
Scholar of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad whose book founded algebra; the word ‘algorithm’ comes from his name, and he spread Indian numerals to the Islamic world and Europe.
| Lived | c. AD 780 – AD 850 |
| Known as | Mathematician |
| Birthplace or main place | Baghdad |
| Places on the map | Baghdad |
BaghdadSee the world of al-Khwarizmi in the interactive map
Who ruled these places in his lifetime
| Place | At birth (map of AD 700) | At death (map of AD 800) |
|---|---|---|
| Baghdad | Umayyad Caliphate | Abbasid Caliphate |
From the border maps nearest to each date; borders are approximate.
Events in his lifetime
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| AD 830 | The House of Wisdom flourishes and Greek works are translated on a grand scale | Baghdad |
Further reading
Contemporaries
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. AD 742 – AD 814 | Charlemagne | King of the Franks and emperor |
| c. AD 763 – AD 809 | Harun al-Rashid | Abbasid caliph |
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.