author

Karl von Gebler

1850–1878

An Austrian officer and historian, he is remembered for helping bring the Galileo trial into clearer historical view. His work focused on original records, giving later readers a more documentary look at a famous clash between science and Church authority.

1 Audiobook

Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia

Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia

by Karl von Gebler

About the author

Born in Vienna on November 29, 1850, and dead in Graz on September 7, 1878, Karl von Gebler had a very short life but left a lasting mark as a historian. He is generally described as an Austrian officer and scholar with a special interest in Galileo Galilei and the historical records surrounding Galileo's trial.

He is best known for work on the case of Galileo and the Roman Curia, drawing on authentic source material rather than repeating the story at second hand. That focus on documents helped make his writing valuable to later readers interested in the real historical record behind one of Europe's most famous intellectual conflicts.

Because his career was cut short, the surviving biographical details are limited, but his name continues to appear in connection with studies of Galileo and the Church. For readers interested in the history of science, his work stands out for its archival spirit and its effort to let the sources speak.