Ibn Khaldun was a famous Arab historian and philosopher born in Tunisia in 1332. He came from a family of Andalusian origin and received a classical Arabic education, studying Islamic philosophy, mathematics, and logic. Ibn Khaldun held many high-level political positions, including secretary to various Sultans in North Africa, but he often fell out of favor and ended up in exile or prison. Later in life he grew tired of politics and focused on his literary work, including writing his famous Muqaddimah in 1377, which provided an early framework for understanding universal history.