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Galileo

Galileo was born in Pisa, in the Tuscany region of Italy, on February 15, 1564, the son of Vincenzo Galilei. Galileo was their first child out of seven (some people believe six). Most authorities say he was the most talented of the children.

Galileo was tutored from a very young age. Later, he attended the University of Pisa but was forced to halt his studies there for financial reasons. However, he was offered a position on its faculty in 1589 and taught mathematics. Soon after, he moved to the University of Padua and served on its faculty, teaching geometry, mechanics, and astronomy until 1610. During this period he concentrated on science, and made many significant discoveries.

Although he was a devout Roman Catholic, Galileo fathered three children out of wedlock with Marina Gamba. They had two daughters (Virginia and Livia) and one son (Vincenzio). Because of their illegitimate birth, both girls were sent to the convent of San Matteo in Arcetri at early ages and remained there for the rest of their lives. Virginia took the name Maria Celeste upon entering the convent. She was Galileo's eldest child, the most beloved, and inherited her father's sharp mind. She died on April 2, 1634, and is currently buried with Galileo at the Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze. Livia (b. 1601) took the name Suor Arcangela, made no great impact on the world, and was ill for most of her life. Vincenzio (b. 1606) was later legitimized and married Sestilia Bocchineri.

In 1612, Galileo went to Rome, where he joined the Accademia dei Lincei and observed sunspots. In 1612, opposition arose to the Copernican theories, which Galileo supported. In 1614, from the pulpit of Santa Maria Novella, Father Tommaso Caccini (1574-1648) denounced Galileo's opinions on the motion of the Earth, judging them dangerous and close to heresy. Galileo went to Rome to defend himself against these accusations, but, in 1616, Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino personally handed Galileo an admonition...