-Born in Arezzo, Italy

-This was after his father, who was a notable figure, was banished from France
-His father worked in the papal court of Clement V

-In 1311, Petrarch and his family found residence in Provence

-While Petrarch traveled, his home was in Vaucluse
He was educated in the culture of Avignon, and was taught how to speak Latin at a young age

-He studied under Convenevole da Prato

-Was going to become a lawyer, studied at Montpelier and Bologna, but eventually opted  out of his father's path

-These include the unfinished I trionfi and Canzoniere(a collection of 366 poems), among others

-The rest of his work was written entirely in Latin
-He also wrote things meant that were meant to be shared vernacularly, such as songs about his beloved Laura

-He collected many scripts from far and wide

-Forty-Five of them survive to this day
-Petrarch was somewhat unhappy with the world around him

-1327 was the first time he saw Laura

-She inspired all of the works in Canzoniere

-His love sonnets to Laura were plentiful and all used a style of writing known as terza rima, which involves three-lined stanzas which rhyme, with an ABA rhyming scheme

-These love sonnets made his fame grow even more

-Petrarch was very interested with the nature of Rome

-Cola de Rienzo was a leader who agreed with Petrarch’s fascination with Rome

-Cola ruled Rome from 1347-1354

-Petrarch’s relationship with Cola inspired Italia mia

-He served as an up-and-coming political leader

-This meant he acted as in politics as Visconti Family of Milan, an ambassador to Venice, and member of Charles’ IV imperial court

-All of his personal losses, due to the Black Plague causing the untimely demise of his wife, among other things, culminate in his Secretum
-This “Secretum” was full of his confessions

-Petrarch used the last six years of his life to travel between various places