Petrarch

Petrarch

Short Biography, facts and interesting information about Petrarch - the life of one of the famous people who lived during the Medieval times
Famous as a Medieval Italian scholar, poet, and humanist

Francesco Petrarch
The Medieval Times encompass one of the most exciting periods in the History of England and Europe. The names of many famous Medieval people scatter the Medieval History books and other historical documents. Why were these important Medieval people famous and what did they accomplish? Famous Medieval people of the Middle Ages included Artists, Clerics, Crusaders, Explorers, Religious Leaders, Military Leaders, Philosophers & Theologians, Scientists, Physicians, Writers & Poets and Reformers who featured in the Medieval times of the Middle Ages from 1066 - 1485. The following biography, short history and interesting facts provide helpful information for history courses and history coursework about the key dates and events in the life of Francesco Petrarch who was famous as a Medieval Italian scholar, poet, and humanist.

Short Biography about the life of Francesco Petrarch
The following biography, short history and interesting facts provide helpful information for history courses and history coursework about the life and history of Francesco Petrarch a famous Medieval character of historical importance who lived during the Middle Ages:

• Country of Origin / Nationality: Italian
• Also Known by the name: Francesco Petrarca and Francis Petrarch 
• Lifetime: 1304 - 1374
• Born: He was born in 1304 in Arezzo near Florence , Italy
• Family connections : He was the the son of a notary called Ser Petracco
• The family of Francesco Petrarch: As his career was in the Catholic church he was not allowed to marry. But Francesco Petrarch did father two children by a woman or women unknown. His son, Giovanni, was born in Avignon in 1337 and his daughter, named Francesca, was born in Vaucluse in 1343
• Childhood, early life and education:
• Occupation and Career: 
  • 1319 - 1323: Francesco Petrarch first studied in Avignon and then studied at Montpellier
  • 1323 - 1325: Francesco Petrarch studied law in Bologna
  • 1326: Petrarch returned to Avignon after the death of his father where he worked as a clerk
  • 1326: Francesco Petrarch joined the Franciscan Friars
  • 1327: Francesco Petrarch met Laura in Avignon in the church of Saint Claire
    • Laura de Noves was the 19 year old wife of Hugues de Sade
  • Francesco Petrarch became a prolific writer of sonnets
  • 1337: Francesco Petrarch first visited Rome
  • 1337: Francesco Petrarch became the father of his son Giovanni who was born in Avignon
  • 1341: Francesco Petrarch was made poet laureate in Rome
  • 1343: Francesco Petrarch became the father of his daughter Francesca who was born in Vaucluse
  • 1345 - 1347: Francesco Petrarch wrote Bucolicum Carmen and De Vita Solitaria
  • 1348: The death of Laura de Sade, possibly of the Black Death
  • Francesco Petrarch worked as a diplomat and travelled to many major cities in Europe
  • 1367:  Francesco Petrarch retired to Padua
  • 1374: Francesco Petrarch died in Arqua in the Euganean Hills
• Died: Francesco Petrarch died on July 18, 1374
• Cause of the death of Francesco Petrarch: The Black Death
• Accomplishments and Achievements or why Francesco Petrarch was famous: Italian scholar, poet, and humanist. Famous for his poems which were addressed to Laura.
• Francesco Petrarch is considered as one of the fathers of the Renaissance.
• Francesco Petrarch was very inspired by the buildings of ancient Rome and Greece and was influential in reviving the ideas and ideals from the Greek and Roman times. Petrarch and his followers called themselves 'Humanists' because they believed that a man’s life on earth should be thought of very highly
• Prior to the Renaissance, or rebirth, art, architecture, sculpture and literature were based only on religious themes, with the beginning of the Renaissance, artists began to focus on nature and the human form

Francesco Petrarch
The story and biography of Petrarch which contains interesting information, facts & the history about the life of this Medieval person of historical importance.

The Sonnets of Francesco Petrarch
The sonnets - Francesco Petrarch perfected the unknown sonnet form for his poems to Laura. His form of sonnets is known as the Petrarchan sonnet.

Petrarch Rhyme Scheme
The Petrarch sonnet follows a set rhyme scheme ( Petrarch Rhyme Scheme ), which runs as follows: abba abba cdc dcd. The first eight lines of the sonnet (the octave) do not often deviate from the abba abba pattern, but the last six lines of the sonnet ( sestet)  frequently follow a different pattern. Each line also has the same number of syllables, usually 11 or 7 in the sonnets by Francesco Petrarch. In comparison the English Sonnet has 10 syllables per line. The sonnet became the preferred form for poets such as Ronsard, Gongora, Spenser and William Shakespeare.

Canzone Petrarch - The Canzoniere
Petrarch is also famous for using the Canzone scheme. The canzone ('song' of Provencal origin) with verses of different lengths and with an elaborate rhyme scheme. The Canzoniere, a collection of love lyrics by Francesco Petrarch, had enormous influence on the poets of the 15th and 16th centuries. His  love for Laura was expressed in the Rime sparse ("Scattered rhymes"). Later Renaissance poets copied the style of Francesco Petrarch and named this collection of 366 poems and sonnets the Canzoniere ("Song Book").

The works of Francesco Petrarch
Francesco Petrarch is best known for his Italian poetry and sonnets notably the Canzoniere and the Trionfi ("Triumphs"). The "Trionfi", was written by Francesco Petrarch in terza rima is allegorical and moral in its nature

Francesco Petrarch Quotes
The following are Francesco Petrarch quotes:

"To be able to say how much you love is to love but little"
 Petrarch wrote in 'To Laura in Death'.

"Each famous author of antiquity whom I recover places a new offence and another cause of dishonor to the charge of earlier generations, who, not satisfied with their own disgraceful barrenness, permitted the fruit of other minds, and the writings that their ancestors had produced by toil and application, to perish through insufferable neglect. Although they had nothing of their own to hand down to those who were to come after, they robbed posterity of its ancestral heritage."
Francesco Petrarch personally discovered a collection of Cicero's letters not previously known to have existed and then wrote this quote reflecting his horror and disdain of the ignorance of his era. Francesco Petrarch is credited with creating the concept of the Dark Ages which was later adopted as a reference to

"Where are the numerous constructions erected by Agrippa, of which only the Pantheon remains? Where are the splendorous palaces of the emperors?"
Francesco Petrarch wrote this famous quote in 1337 when he visited Rome for the first time.

"In my younger days I struggled constantly with an overwhelming but pure love affair - my only one, and I would have struggled with it longer had not premature death, bitter but salutary for me, extinguished the cooling flames. I certainly wish I could say that I have always been entirely free from desires of the flesh, but I would be lying if I did."
Written by Francesco Petrarch in  'Letter to Posterity' reflecting on his unrequited love and the early death of Laura.

Medieval Literature

Famous Medieval People - Petrarch
Interesting facts and information with a short biography about the Medieval Life, Times and history of Petrarch. Additional useful details, facts, history, biography, timeline and information about the lives of other famous people of the Dark Ages and Middle Ages, and the important events which occurred during their times, can be accessed via the Medieval Life and Times Sitemap. The content of this article on Medieval life and times provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework for history courses and history coursework.