Robert of Chester

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Robert of Chester (Robertus Castrensis) was an English arabist who flourished around 1150. He translated several historically important books from Arabic to Latin, by authors such as Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan and Al-Khwarizmi including:

Liber algebrae et almucabala Al-Khwārizmī's book about algebra translated in 1145
Liber de compositione alchimiae a book about alchemy translated in 1144 [link]

In the 1140s Robert worked in Spain, where the division of the country between Muslim and Christian rulers resulted in opportunities for interchange between the different cultures. However, by the end of the decade he had returned to England. Some sources identify him with Robert of Ketton who was also active as an Arabic-Latin translator in the 1140s [link]. However, Ketton and Chester, while both places in England, are a long way apart. Also, when in Spain, Robert of Ketton was based in the Kingdom of Navarre, whereas Robert of Chester is known to have worked in Segovia.

Algoritmi de numero Indorum (a Latin translation of al-Khwārizmī on the Hindu Art of Reckoning) was attributed to Robert of Chester in an earlier version of this article, but may well be by Adelard of Bath.

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