Francois Viete

"Francois Viete"

Francois Viete went to many places and did a lot of things. He lived for 63 years. In his life he got to do more or at least as much he wanted to do. He got to work for Kings, and also been married twice. Francois Viete was a very interesting. He also went to a few different countries.

Francois Viete was born in 1540 in Frontenay-le-Comte, France. It is now the province of Vendee. His father was Etenne Viete, who was a lawyer, and his mother was Marguerite Dupont. They both came from well-to-do families. He enjoyed all the available educational opportunities. He did preliminary studies in Frontenay, before moving to study law at the University of Poitiers. He earned his degree in 1560. He practiced it for four years, then abandoned it for a legal profession in 1564. He wanted to enter the employment of Antionette d'Aubeterre, as private tutor to her daughter, Catherine of Parthenay. He became a friend and was confidant of Catherine during the years he spent as her tutor. He remained her loyal and trusted adviser for the rest of his life (Parshall 1).

He took his teaching duties very seriously, while he was preparing lectures for his charge on variety an of topics about science. The first scientific work dates were all from this period. It involves topics, which would continue to occupy him throughout his life. In 1571, he began publication of his track. It was intended to form a preliminary mathematical part of a major study on the Ptolemaic astronomical model. He continued to embrace the Ptolemaic (Parshall 1).

The service to Catherine's noble family took him to La Rochelle, ultimately then to Paris. In 1573, he came under the eye of King Charles IX. He appointed him as counselor to the parliament of Brittany at Rennes. Then he remained in this post untill 1580 when he returned to Paris to take up offices of the Maitre de Requetes, also as a royal privy counselor. Form 1584 to 1589, political intrigue resulted both in free time, and then for the continuation of his mathematical studies, especially when they were evolving ideas on algebra (Parshall 1).

His education was at the University of Poitiers, where he took practice of law in his hometown. Soon he rose to prominence by the astute legal services to prominent people (Parshall 1).

Henry III called him back in 1589 to serve as a counselor to parliament.