Durante degli Alighieri, better known as Dante Alighieri or simply Dante, (c. June 1 1265 – September 13/14, 1321) was an Italian Florentine poet. His greatest work, la Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy), is considered the greatest literary statement produced in Europe during the Middle Ages, and the basis of the modern Italian language. The Dante Alighieri Society, founded in Italy in 1889, continues to promote Italian culture and language around the world in his name.

Life

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Early history and family

Dante was born in 1265 and he tells us he was born under the sign of Gemini, placing his birthday between May 18th and June 17th. As an infant, Dante may have been originally christened 'Durante' in Florence's Baptistery, and the name Dante could be a shortened version of that name.

He was born into the prominent Alighieri family of Florence, with loyalties to the Guelfs, a political alliance that supported the Papacy, involved in complex opposition to the Ghibellines, who were backed by the Holy Roman Emperor. These factions fashioned their names after the ones of opposing factions of German Imperial politics, centered around the noble families of Welfen and Weibelingen, but adapting their meaning to the Italian political arena. After the defeat of the Ghibellines by the Guelfs in 1289, the Guelfs themselves were divided into White Guelfs, who were wary of Papal influence, and Black Guelfs who continued to support the Papacy. Dante (a White Guelf) pretended that his family descended from the ancient Romans (Inferno, XV, 76), but the earliest relative he can mention by name is Cacciaguida degli Elisei (Paradiso, XV, 135), of no earlier than about 1100.

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reading Dante what a pleasure
ILikeThis_piece (Donatella) Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:46:23 -0000
reading Dante what a pleasure
{react} That whole Dante layering thing made me wonder if he wasn't a bit anal retentive. Seri.. http://tinyurl.com/ydetwgj {respond}
30pov (30pov) Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:36:38 -0000
{react} That whole Dante layering thing made me wonder if he wasn't a bit anal retentive. Seri.. http://tinyurl.com/ydetwgj {respond}
#SOTM Dante - CashCrop
BklChickSOD (Brooklyn) Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:33:26 -0000
#SOTM Dante - CashCrop
Back from Takoma Park and headbonk. Dante being extra-cuddly.
theresasmets (Theresa Muir) Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:33:25 -0000
Back from Takoma Park and headbonk. Dante being extra-cuddly.
2011 foi escolhido em comemoração ao centenário da fundação do Colégio Dante Alighieri e do cesquicentenário da unificação italiana.
delanecogo (Delane Cogo) Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:31:38 -0000
2011 foi escolhido em comemoração ao centenário da fundação do Colégio Dante Alighieri e do cesquicentenário da unificação italiana.
Dante Beatrix’s Nigel the Shark http://7dkar.th8.us
uberscifigeek (ÜberSciFiGeek) Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:18:14 -0000
Dante Beatrix’s Nigel the Shark http://7dkar.th8.us

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