The Life and Times of Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri, the creator of The Divine Comedy, is recognized as one of the great masters of poetry and ranks right up there with Shakespeare, Homer and Sophocles.

Dante, a poet from Florence, was born sometime in either mid-May or June, 1265 and was christened Durante Alighieri. Dante sprang from an aristocratic family, although it should be noted that his family was not at all wealthy. His father was Alighiero di Bellincione Alighieri, a notary that belonged to the Guelph family.

Dante's mother was Bella degli Abati, but she died when Dante was only 7 years of age. Dante's father re-married Lapa di Chiarissimo Cialuffi, who produced two children, a boy and a girl.

At the time of Dante's birth, Italy was not a united country as it is now. It was more a collection of city/states, and feuds between families of the nobility caused wars between these city/states often.

Not long after the birth of Dante, Charles of Anjou claimed victory over King Manfred at Benevento, which changed the power structure of the empire in Itay. A French dynasty was placed upon the throne of Naples and the Guelphs dominated in Tuscany.

When Dante was at the ripe age of 12, he was betrothed to Gemma di Manetto Donati. Arranging marriages at such young ages was a common part of life back then, and normally involved ceremonies and signed contracts. But even though a future marriage awaited him, Dante was already in love with another and had been since the age of nine. Beatrice Portinari was to be Dante's inspiration for The Divine Comedy -- his angel. His first book, Vita Nuova or New Life was a book of lyrical verse and prose that told of his love for Beatrice.

Dante's first studies in education were of a classical nature and revolved around grammar, rhetoric, literature, philosophy and theology. He was influenced greatly by Brunetto Latini and when he attended schools in Florence, he was taught lessons mainly on Aristotle and St. Thomas.

When Dante was 18, he met Guido Cavalcanti, Cino da Pistoia, Brunetto Latini and Lapo Gianni, and they became leaders of The Sweet New Style or Dolce Stil Nuovo.