Siddhartha Gautama was born abound 563 BC. When the child was born, a holy man prophesied that he would either become an emperor or renounce the material world for a great spiritual destiny.
His parents gave him the name Siddhartha, which means, "He, whose purpose in life has been attained."
Siddhartha tried to live a life trained to become the emperor, however, his compassion for the suffering of others led him on his spiritual path. His spiritual path led him on the life of extremes.
He first led the spoiled, pampered life of the emperor's son, and then left this life for the life of the ascetic.
It was these experiences that molded his philosophy of following the "middle way", the life of moderation, rather than extremism.