Vittorio Siri
Vittorio Siri or Francesco Siri was an Italian mathematician and a monk.Life
Siri was born in Parma, and studied at the Benedictine convent of San Giovanni Evangelista, Parma, where he pronounced his vows in 1625.
He specialized in geometry and went to Venice where he taught mathematics.
He befriended the ambassador of France and took a liking to political matters.
In 1640, he published a book about the occupation of Casale Monferrato defending the French position. Cardinal Richelieu granted him access to his archives and thanks to the new findings he published a monumental work he titled Il Mercurio overo historia de' correnti tempi.
Cardinal Mazarin honored him with a pension and the title of councilor, chaplain and historian of the king of France. He therefore moved to France in 1649 and from 1655 he lived at the court. In the meanwhile he worked as collecteur de nouvelles for the Duke of Parma. He died in 1685 at Paris.Works
- Problemata et theoremata geometrica et mecanica, Bologna, 1633
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- Il politico Soldato Monferrino, ovvero discorso politico sopra gli affari di Casale sotto lo pseudonimo di Capitano Latino Verità, Casale, 1640
- Il Mercurio overo historia de' correnti tempi en 15 volumes in-4°, 1644–1682
