Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) was an Italian philosopher, friar, and cosmological theorist, known for his controversial views on the universe. Advocating the Copernican system, he proposed that the stars are distant suns surrounded by their own planets, challenging the geocentric model and suggesting the infinity of the universe. His ideas on religion, which included questioning the divinity of Christ and the immortality of the soul, led to his excommunication by the Catholic Church. Arrested by the Roman Inquisition, Bruno was tried for heresy and eventually burned at the stake in Rome. His martyrdom is remembered as a tragic symbol of intellectual freedom.
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