Petrarch and the Origins of Humanism (1304–1374)

1. Francesco Petrarch is born in Arezzo

   Jul 20, 1304Labels: Francesco Petrarch, Arezzo, Florentine exiles

   • Britannica
   • CathEncy

2. Petrarch begins formal law studies

   Jan 1, 1319Labels: Petrarch, Legal studies

   • CathEncy
   • WHE

3. Petrarch reportedly first sees Laura in Avignon

   Apr 6, 1327Labels: Petrarch, Laura, Avignon

   • LRB
   • EBSCO

4. Petrarch rediscovers Cicero’s Pro Archia at Liège

   Jan 1, 1333Labels: Petrarch, Cicero, Li ge

   • ProArchia
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5. Petrarch climbs Mont Ventoux (later described in a letter)

   Apr 26, 1336Labels: Petrarch, Mont Ventoux

   • Ventoux
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6. Petrarch makes his first visit to Rome

   Jan 1, 1337Labels: Petrarch, Rome

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   • Oxford

7. Petrarch begins composing the epic Africa

   Jan 1, 1338Labels: Petrarch, Africa epic, Scipio Africanus

   • Encyclopedia
   • EBSCO

8. Petrarch is crowned poet laureate in Rome

   Apr 8, 1341Labels: Petrarch, Poet laureate, Capitoline Hill

   • Carleton
   • EBSCO

9. Petrarch writes and revises Secretum (self-examination dialogues)

   Jan 1, 1342Labels: Petrarch, Secretum, Saint Augustine

   • Britannica
   • Secretum

10. Petrarch discovers Cicero’s letters at Verona

    Jan 1, 1345Labels: Petrarch, Cicero, Verona

    • Verona
    • Familiares

11. Petrarch begins De vita solitaria (praise of learned solitude)

    Jan 1, 1346Labels: Petrarch, De vita

    • Brepols
    • DeVita

12. Black Death year; Petrarch reports Laura’s death

    Apr 6, 1348Labels: Petrarch, Laura, Black Death

    • LRB
    • EBSCO

13. Petrarch and Boccaccio meet in Florence

    Jan 1, 1350Labels: Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Florence

    • Brown DWeb
    • WHE Timeline

14. Petrarch moves to Arquà for his final years

    Jan 1, 1367Labels: Petrarch, Arqu, Padua

    • WHE
    • WHE Timeline

15. Petrarch dies at Arquà, leaving a humanist model

    Jul 19, 1374Labels: Petrarch, Arqu, Humanism

    • Britannica
    • CathEncy