Alfonso Cavallo
From Valwiki
"See now the power of truth; the same experiment which at first glance seemed to show one thing, when more carefully examined, assures us of the contrary." ~Cavallo in a letter to John Walte
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| Player: | Strauss. | |
| Title(s): | Polymath. | |
| Age: | 43. | |
| Race: | Human. | |
| Eye Color: | Black. | |
| Hair: | Black. | |
| Skin Tone: | Sickly. | |
| Height: | 5'3". | |
| Weight: | 97 lbs lbs. | |
| Alignment: | True Neutral. | |
Alfonso Giovanni Cavallo II was an Esthrasian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, theologian and philosopher who played a major role in the Kharlian Scientific Revival. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for a heliocentric universe. Cavallo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", the "father of science", and "the Father of Modern Science." The motion of uniformly accelerated objects, taught in nearly all high school and introductory college physics courses, was studied by Cavallo as the subject of kinematics. His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Aballon, the discovery of the four largest satellites of Bretheda, named the Cavallan moons in his honour, and the observation and analysis of solspots. Cavallo also worked in applied science and technology, improving compass design. Cavallo's championing of helocentric was controversial within his lifetime. The geocentric view had been dominant since the time of Elven stargazers.
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History
Youth
Cavallo was born on a boat during the great flood, the first of six children of Vincenzo Cavallo, a famous lutenist and music theorist, and Maria Corleone. Born prematurely, Cavallo claimed to have been a weak and sickly child. He was, however, a brilliant child; he often impressed those around him with his phenomenal mathematical faculty. Yet four of his six siblings survived infancy. Being surrounded by such death and despair, Cavallo started to take interest in the stars. He would chart the ship's course, map the skies, and at times even create his own constellations.
It was from this that he was introduced to astronomy at an early age, and developed a love for it that would span his entire life. At age six, he observed the Great Comet, writing that he "was taken by [his] mother to a high place to look at it." At age nine, he observed another astronomical event, a Lunar eclipse, recording that he remembered being "called outdoors" to see it and that the moon "appeared quite red". However, childhood smallpox left him with weak vision and crippled hands, limiting his ability in the observational aspects of astronomy.
At age eighteen, after moving through grammar school, Elven school, and lower and higher seminary in a state-run education system, Cavallo began attending University as a theology student, and studied philosophy under Arthur Hauer. He proved himself to be a superb mathematician and earned a reputation as a skillful astrologer, casting horoscopes for fellow students. Under the instruction of Michael Maestlin, he learned the accepted and unaccepted systems of planetary motion. He became a heliocentrist at that time. In a student disputation, he defended heliocentrism from both a theoretical and theological perspective, maintaining that the Sun was the principal source of motive power in the universe. Despite his desire to become a minister, near the end of his studies Cavallo was recommended for a position as teacher of mathematics and astronomy at a local school. He accepted the position at the age of 23.
Student Years
Mysteries of Cosmology
Cavallo's first major astronomical work, Mysteries of Cosmology, was the first published defense of the heliocentric system. Cavallo claimed to have had an epiphany while teaching the local University, demonstrating the periodic conjunction of Liavara and Bretheda in the zodiac; he realized that regular polygons bound one inscribed and one circumscribed circle at definite ratios, which, he reasoned, might be the geometrical basis of the universe. After failing to find a unique arrangement of polygons that fit known astronomical observations (even with extra planets added to the system), Cavallo began experimenting with 3-dimensional polyhedra. He found that each of the basic geometric shapes could be uniquely inscribed and circumscribed by spherical orbs; nesting these solids, each encased in a sphere, within one another would produce six layers, corresponding to the six known planets—Triaxus, Verces, Kharlia, Eox, Bretheda, and Liavara. By ordering the geometric solids correctly—octahedron, icosahedron, dodecahedron, tetrahedron, cube—Cavallo found that the spheres could be placed at intervals corresponding (within the accuracy limits of available astronomical observations) to the relative sizes of each planet’s path, assuming the planets circle the Sun. Cavallo also found a formula relating the size of each planet’s orb to the length of its orbital period: from inner to outer planets, the ratio of increase in orbital period is twice the difference in orb radius. However, Kepler later rejected this formula, because it was not precise enough.
As he indicated in the title, Cavallo thought he had revealed the Gods' geometrical plan for the universe. Much of Cavallo's enthusiasm for the Heliocentric system stemmed from his theological convictions about the connection between the physical and the spiritual; the universe itself was an image of the Gods, with the Sun corresponding to Saurvold, the stellar sphere to Saurvold, and the intervening space between to Syren. His first manuscript of Mysteries contained an extensive chapter reconciling heliocentrism with religious passages that seemed to support geocentrism.
With the support of his mentor Michael Maestlin, Cavallo received permission to publish his manuscript, pending removal of the religious exegesis and the addition of a simpler, more understandable description of the Heliocentric system as well as Cavallo’s new ideas. Mysteries was published later that year, and Cavallo received his copies and began sending them to prominent astronomers and patrons; it was not widely read, but it established Cavallo’s reputation as a highly skilled astronomer. The effusive dedication, to powerful patrons as well as to the men who controlled his position, also provided a crucial doorway into the patronage system.
Though the details would be modified in light of his later work, Cavallo never relinquished the polyhedral-spherist cosmology of Mysteries. His subsequent main astronomical works were in some sense only further developments of it, concerned with finding more precise inner and outer dimensions for the spheres by calculating the eccentricities of the planetary orbits within it. Later on Cavallo published an expanded second edition of Mysteries, half as long again as the first, detailing in footnotes the corrections and improvements he had achieved in the 10 years since its first publication.
Marriage
After starting on his first astronomical work, Cavallo was introduced to Bertha Blungart, a reportedly obese 23-year-old widow (twice over) with a young daughter, and he began courting her. Blungart, heir to the estates of her late husbands, was also the daughter of a successful mill owner. Her father Jonathan initially opposed a marriage despite Cavallo's aristocratic stance. Jonathan relented after Cavallo completed work on Mysteries, but the engagement nearly fell apart while Cavallo was away tending to the details of publication. However, church officials — who had helped set up the match — pressured the Blungarts to honor their agreement. Barbara and Johannes were married later that month.
In the first years of their marriage, the Cavallos had two children (Benito and Gianna), both of whom died in infancy. Two years later they had a daughter (Gianna); in 1604, a son (Benito); and in 1607, another son (Alfonso Jr).
Other research
Following the publication of Mysteries and with the blessing of his former mentors, Cavallo began an ambitious program to extend and elaborate his work. He planned four additional books: one on the stationary aspects of the universe (the Sun and the fixed stars); one on the planets and their motions; one on the physical nature of planets and the formation of geographical features (focused especially on Kharlia); and one on the effects of the heavens on the Kharlia, to include atmospheric optics, meteorology and astrology.
He also sought the opinions of many of the astronomers to whom he had sent Mysteries, among them Georg Strauss (who is most famous for fathering the hedonistic Friedrich Strauss). Georg did not reply directly, but republished Cavallo's flattering letter to pursue his priority dispute over mathematical philosophy against Georg's rival, Dalton Tycho. Despite this black mark, Tycho also began corresponding with Cavallo, starting with a harsh but legitimate critique of Cavallo's system; among a host of objections, Tycho took issue with the use of inaccurate numerical data taken from past Astronomers. Through their letters, Tycho and Cavallo discussed a broad range of astronomical problems, dwelling on lunar phenomena and Copernican theory (particularly its theological viability). But without the significantly more accurate data of Tycho's observatory, Cavallo had no way to address many of these issues.
Instead, he turned his attention to chronology and "harmony," the numerological relationships among music, mathematics and the physical world, and their astrological consequences. By assuming Kharlia to possess a soul (a property he would later invoke to explain how the sun causes the motion of planets), he established a speculative system connecting astrological aspects and astronomical distances to weather and other earthly phenomena. By his thirty fourth year, however, he again felt his work limited by the inaccuracy of available data — just as growing religious tension was also threatening his continued employment. In winter of that year, Tycho invited Cavallo to visit him in Esthras; before he even received the invitation, Cavallo set off in the hopes that Tycho's patronage could solve his philosophical problems as well as his social and financial ones.
Heliocentrism
During his patronage to the geocentric Tycho, Cavallo made available to friends his Planetary Commentarium, a six page hand-written text describing his ideas about the heliocentric hypothesis. It contained seven basic assumptions. Thereafter he continued gathering data for a more detailed work.
Two years later, Franz Hauer delivered in the Dalmar Academy a series of lectures outlining Cavallo's theory. The lectures were heard with interest by several figures of the church and many laymen as well.
That very next day an unidentified figure of the church wrote a letter to Cavallo from Greendale:
"Some years ago word reached me concerning your proficiency, of which everybody constantly spoke. At that time I began to have a very high regard for you... For I had learned that you had not merely mastered the discoveries of the ancient astronomers uncommonly well but had also formulated a new cosmology. In it you maintain that the earth moves; that the sun occupies the lowest, and thus the central, place in the universe... Therefore with the utmost earnestness I entreat you, most learned sir, unless I inconvenience you, to communicate this discovery of yours to scholars, and at the earliest possible moment to send me your writings on the sphere of the universe together with the tables and whatever else you have that is relevant to this subject ..."
By then Cavallo's work was nearing its definitive form, and rumors about his theory had reached educated people all over Kharlia. Despite urgings from many quarters, Cavallo delayed with the publication of his book, perhaps from fear of criticism — a fear delicately expressed in the subsequent dedication of his masterpiece to the leaders of the church. Scholars disagree on whether Cavallo's concern was limited to physical and philosophical objections from other natural philosophers, or whether he was also concerned about religious objections from theologians.
(More to come...)
Personality
Cavallo has been described as haughty and proud. The same mouths often describe him as a passionate and intricate scientist. Cavallo enjoys taking mathematical algorithms and solving them while feigning a sense of ease. In short, he enjoys impressing strangers and friends alike with his prowess and mind. He also has a never ending fascination for the heavens and will talk about them for hours if not stopped. Cavallo has also been described as a meek coward and despite his adventurous soul remains extremely squeamish.
Politically, Cavallo has been described a light-liberal humanist who's been described as incredibly docile and even partially apathetic in politics. His ethical code is one of religious humanism, one which holds science as a way of getting closer to the gods (emotionally and personally) and inspires humility. Though Cavallo speaks words of an angel, he acts like man.
OOC Inspiration
- Johannes Kepler
- Galileo Galilei
- Nicolaus Copernicus
The majority of the stuff here was edited off of their wikipedias.
Make no mistake... this is not my original stuff.
