Galileo Galilei

Galileo's Biography

Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564, in the Italian city-state of Pisa, located in the rolling hills of Tuscany, in west central Italy. He was the first of seven brothers and sisters born to Vincenzio and Giula Galilei. Galileo's mother and father both came from important Italian families. His father was part of a noble Italian family from Florence. For many years, the Galileis had served as members of Italy's wealthy, ruling class. His mother's family, the Ammannatis, was made up of prosperous cloth merchants.

The world into which Galileo Galilei was born was an exciting one. For most of the century prior to his birth, Europe had witnessed dramatic changes in fashion, the arts, literature, social standards, learning, and the sciences. Historians would later refer to this great period of change and progress in Europe as the Renaissance. Important discoveries were being made during this time. The printing press had come into use across the continent, helping to spur a new age of literacy and books (Shea and Mariano, pp.151 - 153). Less than three generations earlier, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus had sailed west in search of the Far East, only to discover a New World inhabited by people quite different from those of any other continent. By the early sixteenth century, other European sailors had traveled around the vast continent of Africa and had found their way to India. These new connections with distant peoples and cultures brought great changes throughout Europe. The old ways and ideas of the Middle Ages were becoming a thing of the past. The future pointed toward greater understanding and knowledge of the world, beyond Europe's borders. Galileo would one day make his mark on that future.

Italy was at the center of the Renaissance. Many great artists, including painters, sculptors, and architects were Italians—such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Bramante, and Michelangelo. These artists, as well as dozens of others, helped to create a new style of artistic expression. Their great works could be found in the Italian city-states where these men lived, worked, and expressed themselves, including Milan, Venice, Rome, and Florence. Florence and Galileo's hometown, Pisa, were independent city-states in the grand duchy of Tuscany, situated in west central Italy. Tuscany was then ruled by the most influential, powerful, and wealthy of all Italian families, the Medicis. Medici princes, dukes, and other family members were among the most important supporters of the Renaissance. They helped provide money to artists, scholars, scientists, and other important, creative individuals (Ravindra, pp.3256 - 3258). Later in life, Galileo would become one of the scientists supported by the Medici family.

Galileo was born during the time of the Renaissance, but he also lived to see the end of this great, productive period in Italian and European history. In the same year that Galileo was born, the great painter, sculptor, and architect of the Renaissance period, Michelangelo Buonarrati, died. Within two months of Galileo's birth, another great European, English playwright William Shakespeare was born. Men such ...