Tommaso Campanella (1568–1639) was an Italian philosopher, poet and writer. He was born on 5 September 1568 in Stilo, Calabria. He entered the Dominican order at a young age and became deeply influenced by the natural philosophy of Bernardino Telesio. His independent thought soon brought him into conflict with ecclesiastical authorities. In 1599 he became involved in a conspiracy against Spanish rule in Calabria. The conspiracy was discovered, and Campanella was arrested and imprisoned. He spent almost twenty-seven years in prison, where he continued to write philosophy, theology, politics and poetry. During his imprisonment he wrote his most famous work, The City of the Sun, a utopian vision of a society organized around knowledge, communal life, education and the common good. Released in 1626, he later moved to France, where he was received by Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu. He died in Paris on 21 May 1639.
