The Life and Work of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Leipzig

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was born in Leipzig on 1 July 1646.
From 1661 to 1666 he studied Philosophy and Law in Leipzig and Jena.

Mainz

1668–1672: initial employment at the court of the Elector and Chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, Johann Philipp von Schönborn.

Paris

1672–1676: study of mathematical and theological questions.

London

First model of the “four species calculating machine”; presentation at the Royal Society in February 1673 and admission to this academy.

Paris

1675: discovery of infinitesimal calculus.

Hannover

1676–1679: employed as Counsellor and Librarian to Duke Johann Friedrich of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Scientific, political and forensic work under Duke Ernst August of Hannover.

Clausthal-Zellerfeld

1682–1686: occupied with technical problems at the mines in the Harz Mountains. Commissioned to write a history of the Guelph family.

Wolfenbüttel

1691: appointment as Director of the Library
1696: appointment as Privy Counsellor for Justice

Hannover

1698–1716: historical, diplomatic and scientific work under Elector Georg Ludwig of Hannover.

Leibniz died on 14 November 1716. His grave is in the Neustädter Hof- und Stadtkirche St. Johannis in Hannover.