When is Omar Khayyám's birthday?

Omar Khayyám's birthday is May 15. He was born on May 15, 1048 in Nishapur, Iran.

How old was Omar Khayyám when he died?

Omar Khayyám died on December 4, 1131, aged 83.

Who shares a birthday with Omar Khayyám?

Famous people who share Omar Khayyám's May 15 birthday include Pierre Curie, Mikhail Bulgakov, Madeleine Albright, Klemens von Metternich and Paul Samuelson.

Science · Literature · Music · 1048–1131

Omar Khayyám

Born: 15 May 1048 · Died: 4 December 1131 · Age: 83

Persian mathematician and astronomer who reformed the calendar and is remembered for the poems of the Rubaiyat

Did you know?He designed a calendar that was more accurate than the Gregorian system used today.

Editor's Take:

Omar Khayyam is that rare figure famous in two completely different fields. In his own time he was celebrated as a mathematician and astronomer, solving cubic equations with geometry and helping to reform the Persian calendar. Centuries later, he became world-famous as a poet, thanks to the quatrains attributed to him. Those short verses, about enjoying life, wine and the passing moment, struck a chord with Victorian readers. Scholars still debate how many of the poems he truly wrote, but his name remains a symbol of wisdom and wonder.

Key Milestones

1070: Treatise on Algebra – written in Samarkand
1074: Royal observatory – works under Sultan Malik-Shah in Isfahan
1079: Jalali calendar – introduced, with remarkable accuracy
1859: The Rubaiyat in English – Edward FitzGerald's version makes him famous worldwide

Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) was a Persian poet and polymath, known for his contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and Persian literature. He was born in Nishapur, Iran and lived during the Seljuk era, around the time of the First Crusade.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, / Moves on.”

— Omar Khayyám, Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, Edward FitzGerald translation, 1859

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Omar Khayyam: Poet, Mathematician and Astronomer

Persian polymath of the Seljuk era, born in Nishapur in 1048

Omar Khayyam was born in Nishapur, in north-eastern Persia, in 1048. He studied mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and medicine, becoming one of the leading scholars of his age.

His Treatise on Algebra gave geometric methods for solving cubic equations. Working at an observatory under the Seljuk sultan Malik-Shah, he helped create the Jalali calendar, known for its excellent accuracy.

His fame in the West came in 1859, when Edward FitzGerald published a free English version of his poems, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. It became one of the best-loved poetry books in English.

Career highlights

1048Born in Nishapur: in Persia
1070Treatise on Algebra: written in Samarkand
1074Royal observatory: works under Sultan Malik-Shah in Isfahan
1079Jalali calendar: introduced, with remarkable accuracy
1131Dies in Nishapur: where his tomb stands today
1859The Rubaiyat in English: Edward FitzGerald's version makes him famous worldwide

Did you know?A crater on the Moon and an asteroid are named after him in honour of his astronomy.

Age at death: 83
Years since death: 894

Born: May 15, 1048 · Nishapur, Iran
Died: December 4, 1131
Nationality: Seljuk Empire
Known for: Science, Literature, Music

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Frequently asked questions

When is Omar Khayyám's birthday?: Omar Khayyám's birthday is May 15. He was born on May 15, 1048 in Nishapur, Iran.
How old was Omar Khayyám when he died?: Omar Khayyám died on December 4, 1131, aged 83.
Who shares a birthday with Omar Khayyám?: Famous people who share Omar Khayyám's May 15 birthday include Pierre Curie, Mikhail Bulgakov, Madeleine Albright, Klemens von Metternich and Paul Samuelson.

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