Practical mathematics in a commercial metropolis

Set against the backdrop of the Religious Wars, the narrative explores the rise and fall of mathematics in sixteenth-century Antwerp through the lives of Michiel Coignet and Peeter Heyns. It delves into various aspects of practical mathematics, including education, instrument making, fortification construction, and navigation, highlighting how these elements intertwined with the tumultuous historical context. The book provides a rich examination of the mathematical practices that flourished before their eventual decline.