Pedro Nunes
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Stamp_portugal_Pedro_Nunes.jpg
Pedro Nunes stamp, issued by Portugal
Pedro Nunes (1502 - 1578) was a Portuguese mathematician and cartographer who is considered to be one of the top mathematicians of his time. He was born at Alcácer do Sal, and died at Coimbra, where he was professor of mathematics at the University of Coimbra. He studied at the University of Salamanca from 1521 until 1522. He then attended the University of Lisbon (this University later become the University of Coimbra) where he obtained a degree in medicine in 1525. He continued his medical studies but held various teaching posts within the University of Lisbon. When the Portuguese University located in Lisbon returned to Coimbra, he moved to the re-founded University of Coimbra to the chair of mathematics in 1537, a post he held until 1562. This was a new post in the University of Coimbra and it was set up to provide instruction in the technical requirements for navigation, clearly a topic of great importance in Portugal at this period when control of sea trade was the chief source of Portuguese wealth. In addition to this post he was appointed Royal Cosmographer in 1529 and Chief Royal Cosmographer in 1547. He held this post until his death. He published several works, including a copiously-annotated translation of portions of Ptolemy (1537). Outside mathematics he worked in geography, physics, cosmology and he wrote poetry. He also made many important contributions to navigation writing Navigandi Libri Duo in 1546. His clear statement of the scientific equipment of the early Portuguese explorers has become famous. A complete edition of all his writings appeared at Basel in 1592. He is best known for his contributions in the technical field of navigation, which was crucial to the Portuguese period of discoveries.
He was also the inventor of the measuring device called a nonius (his surname in latin, Petrus Nonius).
While at Coimbra, Pedro Nunes taught Clavius.
List of his printed works
- Tratado da Sphera. Lisbon, Germão Galhardo, 1537
- Astronomici Introductorii de Spaera Epitome. (1537 - 1542)
- De Crepusculis Liber Unus. Lisbon, Luís Rodrigues, 1542
- De Erratis Orontii Finaei. Coimbra, João Barreiros e João Álvares, 1546
- Petri Nonii Salaciensis Opera. Basel, Ex Officina Henricpetrina, 1566
- Libro de Algebra en Arithmetica y Geometria. Anvers, Juan Stelsio, 1567
- De Crepusculis Liber unus. Coimbra, Antonio Mariz, 1571
- De Erratis Orontii Finaei. Coimbra, Antonio Mariz, 1571
- De arte atque ratione navigandi. Coimbra, Antonio Mariz, 1573
- Petri Nonii Salaciensis Opera. Basel, Sebastianum Henricpetrum, 1592de:Pedro Nunes