On 13th February 1633, the polymath genius, Galileo Galilei, arrived in Rome to be tried by the inquisition for professing his belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun. I have posted about Galileo before, and he is a character in Fire and Earth, the second book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures.
The church’s assertion that the Sun revolves around the Earth is taken from Joshua chapter ten, verses twelve to fourteen.
“At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.”
It’s a pretty flimsy argument compared to astronomical observations, but the Vatican only admitted that Galileo was right in November 1992.
Galileo Galilei was born on 15th February 1564, in Pisa, Italy, to Vincenzo Galilei and Giulia Ammannati. His father, Vincenzo, was a musician, composer, and music theorist, who encouraged Galileo to study mathematics and science instead of medicine, which he had initially pursued at the University of Pisa.
Galileo was the eldest of six or seven children, though some of his siblings did not survive infancy. His brother, Michelangelo Galilei, became a musician like their father, but financial difficulties in the family often placed a burden on Galileo, who had to help support his relatives.
Despite his scientific success, Galileo never married. However, he had a long-term relationship with Marina Gamba, a woman from Venice. Together, they had three children. Virginia became a nun in the Convent of San Matteo in Arcetri, taking the name Maria Celeste. She remained close to Galileo, providing him with emotional and practical support, especially during his later years under house arrest. She died at the age of 33. Livia also became a nun, taking the name Sister Arcangela. Unlike Virginia, she suffered from poor health and struggled with convent life.
Vincenzo, Galileo’s only son, was later legitimized by the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Galileo’s relationship with his children was complex. He was especially fond of Virginia (Sister Maria Celeste), and their surviving letters reveal deep affection and mutual concern. His daughters entered the convent partly due to financial difficulties, as their illegitimacy made it hard for them to marry well.