Why didn't the Enlightenment happen in Italy? The Enlightenment did happen in Italy. > Why was Galileo arrested whereas Newton became a national hero? Becaus

Why didn't the Enlightenment happen in Italy? The Enlightenment did happen in Italy. > Why was Galileo arrested whereas Newton became a national hero? Because of the Jesuits, and not for the reason you imply. Read Infinitesimal by Alexander Amir. Galileo was a national hero in Italy, in fact he was an enormous figure across the whole of Europe. Giodarno Bruno was burned at the stake in Rome in 1600, Edward Wightman (for heresy) in jolly olde England in 1612.