Profile
Petrarch: The Poet Who Sparked the Renaissance
Italian scholar and poet, born in Arezzo in 1304
Francesco Petrarca, known in English as Petrarch, was born in Arezzo in July 1304. His family moved to Avignon, then home to the papal court, and he studied law before turning to literature.
In 1327 he first saw Laura, the woman who inspired his collection of Italian poems known as the Canzoniere. He wrote hundreds of sonnets about his love, and his style became known as Petrarchan.
A tireless scholar, he rediscovered ancient Latin texts and wrote in Latin as well as Italian. In 1341 he was crowned poet laureate in Rome. He died in Arquà, near Padua, in 1374.
Career highlights
- 1304Born in Arezzo
- 1312Moves to Avignon: with his family
- 1327Sees Laura: in a church in Avignon
- 1336Climbs Mont Ventoux: described in a famous letter
- 1341Crowned poet laureate: in Rome
- 1345Rediscovers Cicero's letters: in Verona
- 1374Dies in Arquà: near Padua
Did you know?The village where he died is now called Arquà Petrarca in his honour.
