Bodleian Library, Oxford - Pietro Paolo Sarpi - Pietro (his birth name) Sarpi was born in Venice in 1552, the son of Francesco Sarpi, a struggling merchant from San Vito (northwest of the city), and Isabella Morelli a Venetian from a good family. Francesco died young, and young Pietro was educated by his mother's brother, a priest and school master, and then by Fra Giammaria Capella, a monk in the Servite Order. In 1566, aged fourteen, Pietro was received in the Servite Order and took the name of Paolo. By the time he was ordained a priest, in 1574, Sarpi was an immensely learned monk, trained in philosophy, theology, mathematics, Greek, and Hebrew. He died in 1623 - ?TopFoto / Woodmansterne