Mathematics at the Prussian Academy of Sciences 1700–1810

Abstract

Long before Berlin received its own university in 1810, there had already been firstclass mathematicians in the city and eminent mathematical research had been done thanks to the Berlin Academy. The foundation deed of the Berlin-Brandenburg Society of Sciences, today’s Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences was signed by the Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (1657-1713) on 11 July 1700, his birthday. On 12 July, one day later, the universal genius Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), born in Leipzig, was appointed President of the new Society. He was in the employment, in actual fact, of the Elector Georg Ludwig (1660-1727) of Hanover, who had reigned since 1698 and who, in 1714, was to become the King of England. However, between the years 1700 and 1711, Leibniz spent time in Berlin serving ten terms of office as President, for a total of three years. He never again returned to Berlin after 1711.