Ryerson UniversityCHST 787 – Astronomy Vs. AstrologyFinal Essay: Biography of Omar KhayyamInstructor: Dr. Conner BurnsKian Shahidi500416118Biography of Omar KhayyamAbolghasem Ghiyath Al-Din Abul-Fath Omar Ibn Ibrahim Al-Nisapuri Al-Khayyam was born in Nishapur, in the northeast of present-day Iran, in 1048 and was one of the most recognized poets, astronomers, scholars, philosophers and mathematicians of the 11th century in the ancient Persian region. His father was a tentmaker, and as was common in the old days, his surname comes from his father's occupation, meaning tentmaker. Over the course of 83 years of his precious and extended life, he had worked on problems in algebra, arithmetic, musical composition and songwriting, and, above all, astronomy. He managed to make the most of his talent and at the age of 25 he finished work on a book related to arithmetic, one on music and another on algebra. The political events of the 11th and early 12th centuries helped him devote his time to his interests. He had moved to Samarkand (now Uzbekistan) in 1070 BC. He was supported by “Abu-Tahir”, a powerful and well-known man in the city. Khayyam was able to work and finish his "Treatise on the Proof of Algebra Problems" during his stay in Samarkand. Nishapur was located in Khorasan province in the middle of the "Silk Road", the most recognized route in the Middle East and the largest market in the world at that time. Growing up in a big city helped him access a variety of sources for his inquisitive mind. In the 11th century, the city of Nishapur was so huge that there was only one city in Europe that was bigger than it. [1]In that era the "Seljuk Turk" invaded an enormous area of ​​s...... middle of paper...... and even in his poems this world could be something different.[1] Terimourian, Hazhir. Omar Khayyam: poet, rebel, astronomer. 1st ed. Sutton, 2007. Page 365. Print.[2] Fitzgerald, Edward and William H. Martin. The Art of Omar Khayyam: Illustrating FitzGerald's Rubaiyat. 4th ed. Middletown: American Library Association dba CHOICE, 2007. Pg. 628.eBook.[3] Olson, D. W. and M. S. Olson. “Zodiac Light, False Dawn, and Omar Khayyam.” Princerest Observatory. 108. (1998): 150-183. Network. 23 February 2014.[4] Murray, James A. "Omar Khayyam.." 60.360 (1896): 845 - 855. Web. 23 February 2014.[5] Qurbani, Abu al-Qasim. Zindagi namah-i riyazidanan-i dawrah-i Islami az sadah-i sivvum ta sadah-i yazdahum-i Hijri. 1st ed. Tehran: Nashr-e-Markaz-i-Daneshgahi, 1997. Page 563. Print.[6] Bashiri, Iraj. Umar Khayyam. 1st ed. Tehran: Eskandari, 1975. Page 181. Press.