Christian Goldbach (/ˈɡoʊldbɑːk/ GOHLD-bahk, German: [ˈkʁɪsti̯a(ː)n ˈɡɔltbax]; 18 March 1690 – 20 November 1764) was a Prussian mathematician connected with some important research mainly in number theory; he also studied law and took an interest in and a role in the Russian court.

[1][2] After traveling around Europe in his early life, he landed in Russia in 1725 as a professor at the newly founded Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

[2] Born in the Duchy of Prussia's capital Königsberg, part of Brandenburg-Prussia, Goldbach was the son of a pastor.

[2][5] After finishing his studies he went on long educational trips from 1710 to 1724 through Europe, visiting other German states, England, the Netherlands, Italy, and France, meeting with many famous mathematicians, such as Gottfried Leibniz, Leonhard Euler, and Nicholas I Bernoulli.

[6] He briefly attended Oxford University in 1713 and, while he was there, Goldbach studied mathematics with John Wallis and Isaac Newton.

[4] Christian Wolff had invited and had written recommendations for all the Germans who traveled to Saint Petersburg for the academy except Goldbach.

[2][5] Upon Peter II's death in 1730, Goldbach stopped teaching but continued to assist Empress Anna.

[4] In 1732, Goldbach returned to the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and stayed in the Russian government when Anna moved the court back to St.

[4] Goldbach was gifted land and increased salary for his good work and rise in the Russian government.

[3] Also, in 1729 Goldbach closely approximated the Basel problem, which prompted Euler's interest and concurring breakthrough solution.

[3] Goldbach's famous conjecture and his writings with Euler prove him to be one of a handful of mathematicians who understood complex number theory in light of Fermat's revolutionary ideas on the topic.