Évariste Galois

Évariste Galois was born to Nicolas-Gabriel Galois and Adélaïde-Marie Demante. His father was a Republican and later became mayor of Bourg-la-Reine, while his mother was well-educated and homeschooled Évariste.

Galois enters the prestigious Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris, where he initially excels but later faces academic and personal challenges, including conflicts with teachers and a deepening interest in mathematics.

Galois begins to study mathematics on his own, reading the works of Legendre and Lagrange. His passion for mathematics grows, leading him to delve into advanced topics and begin formulating his own theories.

Galois publishes his first paper on continued fractions in the Annales de mathématiques pures et appliquées. This early work demonstrates his exceptional mathematical talent and sets the stage for his future achievements.

Despite his mathematical prowess, Galois fails the entrance exam to the prestigious École Polytechnique due to a combination of his unconventional thinking and the examiner's misinterpretation of his work.

Galois develops the fundamental concepts of group theory and the criteria for the solvability of polynomial equations by radicals. His work lays the foundation for modern algebra and is later recognized as revolutionary.

Galois joins the republican movement, which is opposed to the monarchical regime. His political activism leads to his arrest and brief imprisonment, further complicating his academic and personal life.

Galois is arrested and imprisoned for his involvement in republican activities, including wearing the uniform of a banned military group and making a toast that is perceived as a threat to the king.

Galois is fatally wounded in a duel, the circumstances of which remain unclear. He spends his last night writing down his mathematical ideas, which are later recognized as groundbreaking. He dies the following day in Cochin Hospital.

Évariste Galois dies from his wounds sustained in the duel, leaving behind a legacy of profound mathematical insights that would shape the field of algebra for generations to come.