Dante Alighieri. Italian poet. Dante was born in Florence, 1265. Of his early days little is known until, as related in his "Vita Nuova," he first met "the lady of his heart, Beatrice." According to Boccaccio, she was the daughter of Folco Portinari, and married Simone de Bardi and to her Dante was passionately but platonically attached. She died in 1290, and shortly afterwards Dante married Gemma Donati, a daughter of one of the "Guelph" families. In 1289 Dante fought at Campaldino, and was present at the surrender of Caprona. After filing various minor offices, he became one of the six priors of Florence in 1300. In 1301 he went as ambassador to Pope Boniface VIII, and never returned to his native town. Charles of Valois aided the Neri or Black Guelphs against their opponents, the Whites, of whom Dante was a supporter, and in 1302 he was banished. He made many unsuccessful attempts to return, and spent the remaining years of his life wandering from town to town, finally settling in Ravenna, where he died in 1321. His most celebrated work is the "Divina Commedia," and others are the "Vita Nuova," the "Convito," and the "Canzoniere."

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