Maria celeste galilei biography

Galerius, Roman Emperor. Galerius, Emperor of Rome. Galilei, Vincenzio. Galileo Project. Galili BerchenkoIsrael. Galimir, Felix. Galin, Pierre. Galindo DimasBias. Galindo de Topete, Hermila — Galindo, Alejandro — It took several years to make the arrangements. Not the least problem was that the girls were too young to make this important decision for themselves.

Through the offices of Cardinal Maffeo Barberinione of his admirers, Galileo obtained dispensation on this score, and in both girls were placed in the convent of San Matteo in nearby Arcetri, where the abbess was the sister of the secretary of the grand duke of Tuscany. Virginia took the veil inchoosing the name of Sister Maria Celeste, and Livia followed the same course a year later, becoming Sister Arcangela.

Little is known about the life of Sister Maria Celeste untilbut about letters to her father, written from to have survived. From these the picture of a loving daughter, always solicitous of her father's well being, emerges. Her letter to her father of 21 November is typical: Most Illustrious Lord Father, I cannot rest any longer without news, both for the infinite love I bear you, and also for fear lest the sudden cold, which in general disagrees so much with you, should have caused a return of your usual pains and other complaints.

I therefore send the man who takes this letter purposely to hear how you are, and also when you expect to set out on your journey[ 1 ] I have been extremely busy at the dinner-napkins. They are nearly finished, but now I come to putting on the fringe, I find that of the sort of which I send you a sample, a piece is wanting for two dinner-napkins: that will be four braccia.

Maria celeste galilei biography

As I have no cell of my own to sleep in, Sister Diamanta kindly allows me to share hers, depriving herself of the company of her own sister for my sake. In general, women were often characterized as temptresses who were more likely to sin. In Florentine society, the two main options for unmarried women of respectable families were either to enter a convent or to marry.

Galileo did not marry his children's mother, Marina Gamba, for it would not have been an honorable arrangement. Marina Gamba was much younger than Galileo and was of a lower social standing. Yet Galileo was still financially responsible for the family he and Marina were creating. Since Galileo's father had passed away relatively early, Galileo was also left with responsibility of providing a dowry of his sister, Virginia Galilei Landucci.

The cost of maintaining his sister, Marina Gamba, and raising three children was a great strain on Galileo's budget. His salary as professor of mathematics at the University of Padua was inadequate, and he therefore took in boarding students and sold mathematical instruments of his own design. Yet, several times he had to borrow money in order to pay an installment of the dowry.

InGalileo moved to Florence with his two daughters, Virginia and Livia, leaving their mother and his four-year old son behind. Since his daughters were born out of wedlock, he would have to raise enormous dowries if they were to make a good marriage, and Galileo's income was inadequate for this. The best option for him was to send his daughters to a convent.

In a convent the daughters maintained allegiance to their father. Hence, Galileo remained lord over Maria Celeste and therefore was owed the respect given by her. Both took the veil at age As a nun living in a convent, Maria Celeste was forbidden to go outside the convent walls. However, she still maintained a intimate relationship with her father, as can be seen from the letters written by her over the period Download as PDF Printable version.

In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. Daughter of Galileo Galilei and Marina Gamba. For the ship, see Mary Celeste. For other uses, see Maria Celeste disambiguation. PaduaRepublic of Venice. FlorenceGrand Duchy of Tuscany. Biography [ edit ]. Work [ edit ]. Legacy [ edit ]. Notes and references [ edit ].