Mechanical engineer, mathematician, founder of the theory of machines and mechanisms, Director of the Department of Railways of Russia in 1819-1822 Agustín de Betancourt was born on this day

Agustín de Betancourt (1758 – 1824) was a mechanical engineer, mathematician, founder of the theory of machines and mechanisms, honorary member of Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (1784), associate member of Institut de France (1809).

In 1788 he was appointed director of the Royal Cabinet of Machinery, in 1800 he became the inspector general of the Railway Engineering Corps, in 1802-1808 he was director of the Madrid Railway School.

In 1808, in the rank of major general, he was accepted into service in Russia. Promoted to lieutenant general in 1809, he was appointed director of the Institute at the Corps of Railway Engineers in 1810. In 1819-1822, he headed the Russia’s Ministry of Railways.

He designed a number of mechanisms, built a single-bucket excavator (1809), designed the inter-floor constructions for the Moscow Manege and the pavilion of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair.