Middle Ages Biographies | Dante Alighieri Biography

Born 1265

Died 1321

Italian poet

When listing the world's greatest writers, critics almost always include Dante Alighieri, whose reputation is so great that he is often identified simply as "Dante." His reputation rests primarily, but not solely, on the Divine Comedy, an extended poetic work depicting a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.

A book rich in images and details, the Divine Comedy can be read on a number of levels. To a student of the Middle Ages, it provides a vast and varied view of the time, particularly its leading figures and its attitudes. As a work written in Italian at a time when all "serious" literature was in Latin, it formed the foundation of Italy's literature and its national consciousness.

Pivotal early events

Born in the northern Italian city of Florence, Dante Alighieri (DAHN-tay al-eeg-YEER-ee) had the first...