Great People In History II - Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci, the great Italian renaissance man who changed our views of both art and science in such a way that modern civilizations still adore and admire his work. His accomplishments are unprecedented, a worldly known brilliant polymath whose unquenchable curiosity was equaled only by his powers of invention. There is no doubt that he is perhaps the greatest person in history, the only man to have attempted to know everything there is to know. His influences encompassed the world of arts, science & technology, and even invented new mechanisms that have revolutionized mankind. Astonishing feats of engineering were established 500 years ago, perhaps surpassing that of our modern era. He is a portrait of a genius of extraordinary diversity.

Leonardo was and is best known as an artist, the creator of such masterpieces as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, the most well known paintings of all time. His astonishing works of beauty still captivate and inspire people worldwide. His paintings became famous, and only rivaled by Michelangelo’s creation of Adam. When drawing his masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, his dedication and perseverance in achieving perfection caused him 10 years of his life, only to have painted the lips. In 1466, at the age of fourteen, Leonardo was apprenticed to the artist Andrea di Cione, known as Verrocchio. Other famous painters apprenticed there include Domenico Ghirlandaio, Perugino, Botticelli, and Lorenzo di Credi. Leonardo’s earliest known dated work while there is a drawing in pen and ink of the Arno Valley, drawn on August 5^th, 1473. He was commissioned to paint the Virgin of the Rocks for the confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, and The Last Supper for the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In January 1478, he received his first independent commission, to paint an altarpiece for the Chapel of St Bernard in the Palazzo Vecchio and The adoration of the Magi in March 1481 for the monks of San Donato a Scopeto. On Octover 18, 1503, he spent two years designing and painting a great mural of the Battle of Anghiari, with Michelangelo designing its companion piece, the Battle of Cascina. In both theory and practice, Leonardo’s artistic influence in the 16^th and 17^th century Europe, notably France, Spain, Flanders, and Germany was immense, as to have dedicated numerous museums and organizations in his honour. To this day only 15 of his paintings have survived, which have inspired and captivated millions world-wide.

Leonardo’s scientific contributions are brilliant and revolutionary for his time. His new views of the universe and nature are very accurate according to modern science, which is without a doubt a staggering feat for a man who had little to go by. His vision of the world is essentially logic rather than mystery. His personal notebook, which was discovered all over Europe in pieces, reveals correct interpretations of the human anatomy, explanations of physical concepts such as inertia, and sketches for various engineering marvels, such as conceptualizations of a helicopter, a tank, concentrated solar power, a calculator, the double hull and outlined a rudimentary theory of plate tectonics. Additionally, there are compositions for paintings, studies of details and drapery, studies of faces and emotions, of animals, babies, dissections, plant studies, rock formation, and even whirl pools. As a child, Leonardo received informal education in Latin, geometry and mathematics but did not show any particular signs of aptitude. Leonardo’s approach to science was an observational one: he tried to understand a phenomenon by describing and depicting it in utmost detail, and did not emphasize experiments or theoretical explanation. In the 1490’s, while studying mathematics under Luca Pacioli, he prepared a series of drawings of regular solids in skeletal form to be engraved as plates for Pacioli’s book De Divina Proportione, published in 1509. A recent and exhaustive analysis of Leonardo as a scientist by Frtjof Capra argues that Leonardo was a fundamentally different kind of scientist from Galileo, Newton, and other scientists who followed him, whom were more of specialized rather than diverse.

During his lifetime, Leonardo was highly valued as an engineer & a gifted inventor. He created mechanisms never thought of that had influenced people of average status to soldiers in the military. One of his famous inventions, still in use today, is an everyday tool – the scissor. He greatly advanced the state of knowledge in the fields of anatomy, civil engineering, optics, and hydrodynamics. After knowing Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, he went on to produce many different projects for him, including the preparation of floats and pageants for special occasions, designs for a dome for Milan Cathedral, and a model for a huge equestrian monument. When Ludovico was overthrown, Leonardo fled Milan for Venice, where he was employed as a military architect and engineer, devising methods to defend the city from naval attack. He devised a system of moveable barricades to protect the city from attack. While in that position, Leonardo went on to create several maps, which were extremely rare at the time and it would have seemed like a new concept, even though only a few handful of people had seen and known how to use a map. When he returned to the Vatican in Rome, he made a mechanical lion which could walk forward, then open its chest to reveal a cluster of lilies, and also designed wings and shoes for walking on water. Da Vinci also invented musical instruments, such as a keyboard instrument with strings, which made sound via a wheel, horsehair strap, and a bow – a lot like a modern violin. His list of inventions rivals that of Thomas Edison, and continued to do so when building hydraulic pumps, reversible crank mechanisms, finned mortal shells, and even the steam cannon. Big leaps in thought were established during this ‘Da Vinci’ era.

Born in Vinci, Florence on April 15 1452, Leonardo di ser Piero Da Vinci, a man born with remarkable talents that some say transcends from God, displayed infinite grace in everything he did and cultivated his genius so brilliantly that all problems he studied were solved with ease. As Giorgio Vasari once stated, “all his actions seem inspired and indeed everything he does clearly comes from God rather than from human skill.” As a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer, his works and accomplishments speak for themselves, and through extensive research there is no doubt that he is perhaps the greatest man to have ever lived that has influenced people of such broad perspectives. His death on May 2^nd, 1519 only marked the beginning of a new era that has forever changed mankind. In 2003, American author Dan Brown based a fiction novel entitled “The Da Vinci Code”, that sold 80 million copies as of 2009, and went on to be produced into a blockbuster movie.

Great People In History I - Julius Caesar

I have always had a great instilled pride for my knowledge of history, and how human civilizations have advanced in such great measures throughout its course in time. I am currently taking a course on Ancient History (up to 1600's) and I had written a report on a rather famous Roman Leader. I'm hoping once in a while I can add other posts on "Great People In History" that have forever printed themselves in historical texts. Let this be the first in the series to come.

Julius Caesar was the most famous Roman leader of all, conquered more land than any other Roman, and had a celebrated love affair with the Egyptian empress Cleopatra. He had no need of a kingly title. He had the power, he had the trappings, he had everything he essentially wanted - He didn't need a mere word in order to satisfy his vanity.

For 2000 years, the name "Caesar" has meant "Majesty in Power". His life inspired the rulers of empires to call themselves Caesar, Czar, and Kaiser. Ruthless ambition fueled his cline to power. Caesar stopped at nothing to achieve his goals. Conquest and genocide were his political tools. His reign led to the death of a republic and the birth of an empire.

As a young man Caesar learned about the legendary founding’s of Rome. He was instilled with a deep pride for its history. King's had been overthrown, a republic created, and the cities of Italy sucked into an ever growing territory.

Caesar was born into a prominent Roman family, and was only 15 years old when he accompanied his father to the forum, the seat of government in ancient Rome. It was an early taste of a life to come. As a member of the Roman ruling class, a political career was his destiny.

In the 200 years before his birth, Rome had conquered Greece, Spain, modern day France, and vast tracks of North Africa. It had made Rome very rich, but the speed of change made Rome politically unstable and treacherous.

Even as a teenager, his steely determination shown through. The impression we get is that he is a very independent minded individual. Caesar was always very matriculate about the way he appeared, very vain in fact, his already dressing in an unusual way, setting himself apart from his contemporaries.

When he was just 16 Caesar came to the attention of Sulla, then dictator of Rome - An enemy of Caesar's family. Caesar had made a political marriage. It was a union Sulla violently opposed and one that could have caused Caesar his life. It was remarkable that he stood up to Sulla, whom is an extremely ruthless individual. This shows Caesar's astonishing determination.

Soon after the death of his wife, Marius, Caesar went into exile. In Asia minor Caesar used his exile to make his name in battle. Caesar returned to Rome when Sulla died in 78 BC. Increasingly renowned for his skill and bravery in battle, he was decorated with a corona sivica. It was time for Caesar to pursue his political ambitions. He deliberately cultivated key allies in the violent world of Roman politics. Caesar became a lawyer, and over the next few years championed the rights of ordinary Roman's. He knew that the votes of the people would be the key of his future success. He had his sights set on the first step on the political power liner, pontifex maximus, high priest of Rome. Once he secured that position, he became one of the elite leaders of Rome. He had hit big time.

However, Caesar knew military victory's was what really counted in Roman politics. Caesar won a lucrative posting as governor of Spain, where he conquered and subdued the north west of the province.

Back in Rome, Caesar was now famous both as a soldier and a speaker, and was elected as one of the two heads of Roman government. He truly set the standard of what a leader really is. Although Caesar's consulship generated a lot of controversy, he was rewarded with a nine year campaign, during which Caesar would make his name as a brilliant general. Caesar the consul became Caesar the Conqueror.

"Veni, vidi, vici" - "I came, I saw, I conquered".

Caesar's ambition was boundless, not content to just one region, but he wanted more. Northern Italy, modern day Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and even Britain were all in his sights.

Command of an army came naturally to Caesar. His physical presence during battle inspired total confidence, and it was said the sight of his red cloak was the equivalent of another legion. He was a superstar, respected and highly popularized.

Caesar knew he now had the power to seize Rome by force. It was exactly what his enemies had dreaded, and something punishable by death.

What he did next is why legends exist to this day.

He stormed through Italy initially with one single legion. It was them vs. the world. Victory was quick to come by.

In 44 BC he was elected dictator - For life. He was issued coins with his face on it, statues of him that were adored like those of the gods, and even reformed the calendar and named the month of July after himself, along with the Julian calendar. As they say, "Caesar dictates when the sun rises, and when it sets".

On the 15th of March, 44 BC, three days before he was due to leave for military campaign in Syria, Caesar attended the senate, having no idea he was walking into a murderous conspiracy.

As a conspirator moved in to talk to him, it was the signal for attack, and dagger after dagger plunged into Caesar's flesh. And even as he died, he put the Toga over his head, still concerned of his status to his people.

Gaius Julius Caesar transformed Rome from a growing republic into a mighty empire, which encompassed most of the known world. As Caesar had said, "I have lived long enough, whether measured in years, or in glory".

His life became a legend that has continued undiminished for more than 2000 years.