János Bolyai
hungarian mathematician, discoverer and researcher of non-euclidean
geometry. Born on December 15, 1802 in Kolozsvár, died on January 27,
1860 in Marosvásárhely.
Biography
János Bolyai's parents were Zsuzsanna Benkö and Farkas Bolyai. Farkas was a mathematician, lecturing in mathematics, physics and chemistry at the Calvinist College in Marosvásárhely (now Târgu Mureș). Until the age of 9, János studied at home, then studied at school. At the age of 13, he attended classes at Marosvásárhely College; then knew the basics of differential and integral calculus. In June 1817 János obtained a College diploma, but he studied there for a year. From 1818 to 1822, he studied at the Imperial-Royal Academy of Engineering in Vienna (near Ingenieur Akademie), finishing a seven-year study program. This school was an elite engineering and military academy also referred to as the "academy of geniuses" (Genie-Akademie). In September 1823 he began military service in the engineering forces of the Austrian Empire. He remained in military service for 11 years. From 1834 he lived with Rozalia Kibédi Orbán, with whom they had two children. They were not married until May 1849. Three years later they separated.