Is it okay to include a historical summary of your research area in a MSc thesis? I am doing my MSc in mathematics/statistics, and a large part of it concerns fractal geometry.

I want to include some background of how early geometry arose, why fractals were largely neglected, and finally how they found new use/interest in the 20th century. I want to do this because it interests me a lot and I feel it helps explain the role fractal geometry plays.

I am concerned with whether or not this is in bad taste though? Presumably a master's thesis, especially in mathematics, should be concerned with the work you are doing and not a history lesson.

So basically my question is: Is it acceptable for an MSc/MPhil student in maths (or other science) to include a historical background to the subject they are studying?
I did something similar with my own MS thesis because the history of my particular field was not well known and somewhat interesting (the algorithms were independently discovered 4 times in different fields starting 1927 until it finally caught on). More importantly, it helped explain what I was doing. If it fits in with your narrative and your advisor is okay with it, then go ahead.