Leonardo Da Vinci

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Background

Leonardo was born in the town of Vinci in the Tuscan hills, on April 15, 1452. This is known
from his grandfather, Antonio, who wrote down the details of the baptism:

A grandson of mine was born, son of Ser Piero, my son, on April 15, Saturday at
three in the night (11 pm). He was baptized by the priest Piero di Bartolomeo,
Papino di Nanni Banti, Meo di Tenino, Piero di Malvolto, Nanni di Venzo, Arrigo
di Giovanni the German, Monna Lisa di Domenico di Brettone, Monna Antonia di
Giulliano, Monna Nicolosa del Barna, Monna Maria, daughter of Nanni di Venzo,
Monna Pippa di Previcone.

The names following that of the priest were of the witnesses, five men and five women as tradition
demanded. Noticeably, the boy's mother is not present at the time of baptism. Leonardo's father
was Piero Da Vinci, and of his mother only her name "Caterina" in known. Caterina is understood
to have been a peasant girl, or perhaps a barmaid. When the young boy was born, he lived with
his mother for the first few years of his life. It is intriguing that in all of his writings, Leonardo
never mentioned his mother, even though there is evidence that later on his life he was aware of
who she was.

The Da Vinci's were a family that had been established in Vinci since the 13th Century. Many
generations of notaries had given the family a status, and the title of Ser which was passed down
to Leonardo's father. Although it is very difficult to find information about Leonardo's ancestors,
this is a brief genealogical table:

Ser Piero di Ser Guido (d. 1412)
|
Ser Antonio di Ser Piero di Ser Guido (1372-1464)
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Ser Piero da Vinci (1426-1504)
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Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Ser Piero, Leonardo's father was a man of great virility, who lived...