April 15, 1452 Ser Piero and Catarina (her first name is all that we know today) gave birth to arguably the most important man in history, Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo was born in a farmhouse in Anchiano, which is 3 km away from Vinci. Leonardo's family had lived in this area since the 13th century.
Ser Piero, Leonardo's father, was a 25-year-old lawyer when Leonardo was born. As the story goes, Ser Piero did not marry Leonardo's mother (Catarina) because she was the daughter of a farmer. This caused many lifelong legal and emotional problems for Leonardo. Ser Piero did marry a woman shortly after Leonardo was born, her name in unknown. Leonardo had a total of four stepmothers in all, but it's thought that Leonardo's near by uncle is the one who nurtured Leonardo's powerful drive to learn.
Leonardo was christened at the Baptismal Church in Vinci. The parson Piero da Bartotomeo christened Leonardo to the name Lionardo, and not Leonardo.
tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic
English: Studies of Embryos by Leonardo da Vinci (...
Self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, executed in re...Leonardo lived in Anchiano for about 5 more years, until he moved to Vinci.
In 1457 Leonardo moved with his grandfather from Anchiano to Vinci. From this time forth Leonardo was a member of his father's family. Ser Piero and his first wife did not have any children; this may have been the reason for Leonardo's integration into his father's family.
Leonardo attended school in Vinci. Leonardo's teachers often became annoyed with his constant questioning of what they had just taught, and his many doubts. While in school, Leonardo learned to write, read, and calculate. He was also taught Latin and geometry. Leonardo believed that he had not learned enough Latin in school, so he taught himself more of it. In 1466, after Leonardo turned 16, he moved to Florence to begin his apprenticeship in the workshop...