1811-1832

French Mathematician

Evariste Galois was born on October 25, 1811, in Bourg-la-Reine near Paris during one of France's hectic political periods. His father, Nicholas-Gabriel Galois, an active and well-known citizen, was elected mayor in 1815 during the Hundred Days regime that followed Napoleon's escape from Elba.

In addition to his father's prominent position, his mother, Adelade-Marie Demante, was a member of a distinguished family, all of whom believed strongly in education for both men and women. She personally educated Galois at home until 1823, when she decided to place him in the College Royal de Louis-le-Grand. This proved to be a mistake, as he was left to the mercy of mediocre teachers who lacked knowledge and the ability to inspire.

Fortunately, one of his teachers, Louis Richard, recognized Galois's unusual ability in mathematics and encouraged him to take up a more intensive study of algebra. When Galois was about...