Born into the
Ghetaldi noble family, he was one of six children. He was known for the application of algebra in geometry and his research in the field of geometrical optics on which he wrote 7 works including the
Promotus Archimedus (1603) and the
De resolutione et compositione mathematica (1630). He also produced a leaflet with the solutions of 42 geometrical problems, , in 1607 and set grounds of algebraization of
geometry. His contributions to geometry had been cited by Dutch
physicist Christiaan Huygens and
Edmond Halley, who calculated the orbit of what is known as
Halley's Comet, in England. Ghetaldi was the constructor of the
parabolic mirror (66 cm in diameter), kept today at the
National Maritime Museum in
London. He was also a pioneer in making conic lenses. During his sojourn in
Padua he met
Galileo Galilei, with whom he corresponded regularly. He was a good friend to the
French mathematician
François Viète. He was offered the post of
professor of mathematics at
Old University of Leuven in
Belgium, at the time one of the most prestigious university centers in
Europe. He was also engaged in politics and was the envoy of the
Republic of Ragusa in
Constantinople in 1606 as well as a member of the Great and Small Council, the political bodies of the Republic. He was married to Marija Sorkočević, who died giving birth to their third daughter; they had three daughters: Anica, Franica, and Marija. ==Works==