Giovanni Filippo Maraldi, referred to as Maraldi III

The Cassini and Maraldi families were inter-married from the middle of the seventeenth century. Both families were and are considered important in scientific circles, particularly in the development of astronomy and cartography. Despite this, it has been difficult discovering as much about the Maraldi side of this scientific family as the Cassinis. This is particularly true of Giovanni Filippo Maraldi.

To add to the Maraldi branch of the family, there was a third Maraldi, Jacques Philippe Maraldi, who was mentioned by Delambre (1827). I have so far been able to discover little else about him despite the apparent tradition of members of the family taking an interest in astronomy – as well as other related scientific disciplines.

Giovanni Filippo, or Jacques Philippe as he was known in France, was born in 1746 and died in 1797. I have seen a record of his dying in 1814, though I have assumed this to be a mistake or to refer to another member of the family.

He is recorded as having carried out observations of planetary satellites at Perinaldo in north Italy where he seems to have spent his life. Because of this I have assumed he was born and died in Perinaldo. He is generally referred to as Maraldi III.

According to a genealogical chart I have seen of the Maraldi family, Giovanni Filippo Maraldi’s father was Giacomo Francesco Maraldi who, after the death of his wife, became a priest – though this might refer to Giovanni Filippo’s grandfather, Giovanni Domenico Maraldi.

Giacomo Francesco Maraldi was the younger brother of Giovanni Domenico Maraldi, Maraldi II.

Marriage

Giovanni Filippo was married, though I don’t know to whom, and had two children:

• Giovanni Domenico Maraldi who became a Doctor of Medecine, and
• Giacomo Filippo Maraldi who became Governor of Genio and Governor General of Alexandria.

You will see that I have preferred to use Giacomo Filippo’s Italian name as I think that more reasonable because he appears to have been born, worked and lived in Italy. To date, what I have written here is all that I have been able to find out about him, but I shall add what I can when I can…