what is st thomas aquinas known for

St. Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican theologian, philosopher, and the foremost medieval Scholastic. He was born in Roccasecca, near Aquino, Italy, in 1224/25 and died in 1274. Aquinas is considered one of the most important thinkers in the history of Western philosophy and one of the most influential religious figures of the Middle Ages. He is known for his doctrinal system and the explanations and developments made by his followers, which are known as Thomism. Aquinas combined the Christian doctrine, primarily the ideas of Saint Augustine, with the philosophy of Aristotle. His philosophy is still widely studied and discussed today. Aquinas authored four encyclopedic theological works and was extremely productive as an author in his relatively short life. He is recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as its foremost Western philosopher and theologian.