Dante is born, probably May 29, under the sign of Gemini

First meets, and falls in love with Beatrice Portinari, according to the Vita nuova

Dante's father dies. He is married shortly thereafter to Gemma Donati, with whom he has four children (Jacopo, Pietro, Giovanni and Antonia)

Participates as a cavalryman in the battle of Campaldino. The Guelf League (Florence and Lucca) defeats the Ghibellines ofArezzo. Dante recalls this battle in Purgatorio

Death of Beatrice

Writes the Vita nuova

Dante meets Charles Martel, King of Hungary and heir to the kingdom of Naples and the country of Provence. Dante recounts their meeting in Paradiso VIII

Joins the guild of the apothecaries for the purpose of entering public life

Dante is prior for two months (15 June-15 August), one of the six highest magistrates in Florence. Boniface VIII proclaims the Jubilee Year. Fictional date (Eastertime) of the journey of the Divine Comedy

Dante is sent to Rome as an envoy to Pope Boniface VIII, as Charles of Valois approaches Florence

The Black Guelfs seize power in Florence. Dante is banished from the city for two years and forever excluded from public office. Later in the same year his banishment is made perpetual, and he is condemned to be burned alive if taken in the territory of the Florentine Republic

Birth of Petrarch

Dante writes De vulgari eloquentia, his path-breaking history and rhetoric of vernacular literature. Of four books planned, only the first and part of the second were written. During the same period he writes the Convivio. Only four of a projected fifteen books of the Convivio were completed

Probably the year in which Dante interrupts the Convivio and begins the Comedy

Henry of Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor, descends into Italy and Dante addresses an Epistle to him. Possible date of Dante Monarchia (between 1310-1313)

Death of Henry. Birth of Giovanni Boccaccio

Publication of Inferno

Dante moves to Verona as a guest of Cangrande della Scala. Works on Purgatorio and Paradiso, and composes the Questio de acque et terra

Dante moves to Ravenna, where he is the guest of Guido Novello da Polenta, lord of that city. Latin correspondence with the humanist Giovanni del Virgilio

Dante falls ill on return from Venice, where he had been sent as ambassador by Guido Da Polenta, and dies September 13 or 14