Hans Lippershey is credited with creating and disseminating designs of the first practical telescopes. Raw telescopes and special lenses may have been created before, but it is believed that Lippershey was the first to apply a patent for his design making the product available for exclusive use of his country in 1608.
At the time of the creation of the Lunette, the Netherlands was at war with Spain. The Dutch prince found this invention very interesting, since it allowed to observe the movement of the enemy countries. The great scientist Galileo Galilei was the one who had the idea of creating his own instrument, having learned of the creation of such, pointed the telescope to the sky and thus could obtain and provide a new vision of the world.