# Petrarch

_Italian scholar and poet (1304-1374)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/petrarch
Last updated: 2026-11-07

> Francis Petrarch (born Francesco di Petracco; 20 July 1304 – 19 July 1374) was an Italian scholar and poet of the early Italian Renaissance, as well as one of the earliest Renaissance humanists.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 20 July 1304 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Arezzo ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P19))
- **Died:** 19 July 1374 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P570))
- **Place of death:** Arquà Petrarca ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Republic of Florence ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P27))
- **Occupation:** philosopher; poet; translator; lyricist; writer; mountaineer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P106))
- **Education:** University of Montpellier (1289-1969); University of Bologna ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P69))
- **Awards:** Poet's Crown ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401#P166))

## About

Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited with initiating the 14th-century Italian Renaissance and the founding of Renaissance humanism. In the 16th century, Pietro Bembo created the model for the modern Italian language based on Petrarch's works, as well as those of Giovanni Boccaccio, and, to a lesser extent, Dante Alighieri. Petrarch was later endorsed as a model for Italian style by the Accademia della Crusca.

Petrarch's sonnets were admired and imitated throughout Europe during the Renaissance and became a model for lyrical poetry. He is also known for being the first to develop the concept of the "Dark Ages".

## Questions

**When was Petrarch born?**  
Petrarch was born on 20 July 1304 in Arezzo.

**Where did Petrarch study?**  
Petrarch was educated at University of Montpellier (1289-1969), University of Bologna.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Petrarch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrarch) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q1401](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Portrait of Francesco Petrarca (called Petrarch) - French school, 17th century.jpg (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_Francesco_Petrarca_(called_Petrarch)_-_French_school,_17th_century.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Petrarch, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Portrait of Francesco Petrarca (called Petrarch) - French school, 17th century.jpg, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Petrarch". DigiNepal. Last updated 7 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/petrarch. Retrieved 8 November 2026.