Childhood Family

Galileo was born February 15^th 1564 in Pisa which is now today Italy.  Most of Galileo’s childhood was spent in Italy.  Galileo was the oldest son in his family.  His father, Vincenzo Galilei, was a musician who studied the art of music his whole life.  His family moved to Florence when he was eight but Galileo stayed in Italy with Muzio Tedaldi, who was related to Galileo’s mother by marriage.  For two years year Galileo stayed with Muzio Tedaldi.  Galileo moved back in with his family once he turned ten in Florence and was tutored by Jacopo Borghini because he was not old enough to go to a monastery to be educated.  When Galileo was old enough to be educated at a monastery his parents send him to Camaldolese Monaster, which was in a town near Florence.  Galileo was planning to grow up and become a monk, but his father opposed this idea because he wanted his oldest son to be a doctor.  To agree with his father’s whishes Galileo quit school at the Camaldolese Monaster and once again moved back in with Muzio Tedaldi when he was seventeen so he could study at the University of Pisa to become a doctor.  Galileo never was really interested in being a doctor but was very interested in mathematics.  He took his medical studies very lightly.  Galileo would return to Florence to see his family during the summer but also to study up on mathematics and philosophy some more.