Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265 and belonged to noble but impoverished family. He followed a normal course of studies, possibly attending university in Bologna, and when he was about twenty he married Gemma Donati by whom he had several children. He had first met Bice Portinari whom he called BEATRICE, in 1274, and when she died in 1290, he sought distraction by studying philosophy and theology and by writing La Vita Nuova. During this time he became active in politics and was involved in the strife between the Guelfs and the Ghilbellines; he became a prominent White Guelf, however when the Black Guelfs came to power in 1302, Dante, during an absence from Florence, was condemned to exile on false charges, including embezzlement. When Dante failed to answer the charges he was threatened with being burnt at the stake upon re-entry of Florence. When he further refused to dishonour himself and admit the charges the death sentence was finally extended to his children as well. Dante never saw his beloved Florence again. Dante took refuge in Verona, and after wandering from place to place traveling extensively within northern Italy he settled in Ravenna. While there he completed The Divine Comedy, which began around 1308. Dante died in Ravenna in 1321.</p>