Leonardo Fibonacci and Frederick II: An encounter of Islamic mathematics with Europe

Abstract

This note describes a very specific moment in history when Islamic mathematics and European culture came in contact with each other. While such contacts took place over several centuries, this note focuses on Leonardo Fibonacci’s experience in North Africa that led him to interact with the scientists at the court of Frederick II, Stupor Mundi. This encounter had several important consequences, among which the introduction in the Western world of the Hindo-Arabic numbering system and the beginning of the transition from Arabic to Latin as the language of science and mathematics.