243:
121:
107:
husband died. Upon
Ezzelino III’s acquisition of his inheritance, he sought the opportunity to facilitate his own military and political influence, often by forming and severing elite marriages which were in his best interest. In 1249, Ezzelino imprisoned three brothers of the esteemed dei Dalesmanini family, who were allegedly his closest allies. The brothers had arranged for their sister to be married in secret to one of Ezzelino’s political rivals,
166:, Sordello is said to have fallen in love with Cunizza, and she with him, when he first saw her at Rizzardo’s court. Their liaison was cut off when Ezzelino III banished him from the da Romano house to maintain their reputation. Sordello had been born into a lower social class, and thus his romance with Cunizza could have been suggested as an infiltration among the higher-ranking courtiers.
324:
may come as a scandalous surprise to the mortals on Earth, since medieval
Christianity scholarship didn’t portray heaven as a space which accepts erotic love or those who experienced it. There has been debate on whether Cunizza has overcome her desires because she explicitly accepts her former flaws,
158:
Cunizza had given birth to
Rizzardo’s son, Leoisio, whom she left when she was abducted by Sordello. Leoisio would later inherit the title of count as well as control of the castle of Sanbonifacio, a task he failed when he was manipulated by his uncle Ezzelino III to leave the castle, only for it to
131:
Along the timeline of
Cunizza’s various marriages and love affairs, many of her unions were exploited by Ezzelino III in order to further his political agenda and sow discord among his rivaling factions. Much modern scholarship on medieval marriages during this time have accounted for Ezzelino III’s
202:
After the death of both her brothers, Cunizza went to live with her maternal family, the
Alberti di Mangona, in Tuscany. Two notarial documents appear with her name signed, the first being an emancipation of select da Romano slaves on April 1, 1265. Cunizza’s act to “secure the salvation of the
106:
along with his brother, Alberico, from their father in 1223, while
Cunizza received 3,000 lire to be used as dowry. At this time, women were only allotted a portion of the dowry after their husband’s passing, and there is no evidence of whether Cunizza reacquired her dowry funds after her last
286:, Venus is a lower realm of heaven which is closer situated to Earth and its sin. Dante’s placement of Cunizza is attributed to her various liaisons and marriages, a Venusian love in Dante’s eyes. In her monologue to Dante, Cunizza expresses her lack of remorse for her carnal sins:
265:
Dante
Alighieri had likely learned of the da Romano family through Guido Cavalcanti, since Guido’s father had hosted one of Cunizza’s legal proceedings. Dante also stayed at the court of the degli Scagligeri in Verona, the family who succeeded Ezzelino III after his death.
329:. Commentators have noted these discussions to have arisen from interpreting Cunizza’s introduction incorrectly; when she says Venus “conquered” her, the essence of Venus is divine love, rather than the carnal desires that are often paired with Venus.
275:. She dwells in the heaven of Venus, while her brother Ezzelino III resides in the blood river Phlegethon, in the seventh circle of Inferno among the violent. The differing nature between people is a concept that Dante explores when speaking with
181:, and his efforts to organize campaigns against Ezzelino III were supported with Cunizza’s donations and Bonio’s agreement to fight. In 1242, Bonio was killed one month after Holy Saturday, while defending Treviso from one of Ezzelino’s sieges.
193:
report that some of the da
Breganze had fled Vicenza in 1256, unwilling to live under Ezzelino III’s new control of the city. Multiple versions of Naimerio’s death have circulated, including murder by Ezzelino, and death in battle at Longare.
93:
Cunizza, Alberico, and
Ezzelino III were born into an era of medieval Italy that had organized a system for the distribution of wealth among family members, united by blood or marriage. A nobleman’s sons would each receive a
184:
After devoting much of her time and money to the rally against her brother, Cunizza eventually returned to live with him after losing Bonio di
Treviso and facing disgrace. Ezzelino III subsequently married her off to
111:
of Verona. To Ezzelino, this union was a declaration of war. He would continue to use marriage to its extremes as an agent for war and invasions, an approach that was unorthodox to traditional marital customs.
203:
souls" of her family did not include any slaves who sided against Alberico, rather the document explicitly mentions their eventual damnation into hell. The signing of this declaration occurred in the house of
226:. Cunizza also had rights to the castle at Mussa, but the castle belonged to the Trevisan government following a vast reclamation of property following Ezzelino III’s death.
147:, one of Ezzelino II’s political rivals. Both Ezzelino and his father, Ezzelino II, believed Cunizza to be at risk to a hostage situation in Rizzardo’s home, so they sent
143:
in the region and ideally quell the previous hostility between Ezzelino III and Count Rizzardo. However, tension grew due to the alliance between the Sanbonifacio and the
768:
837:
728:
701:
534:
210:
The second was the drafting and signing of Cunizza's will in 1279; by this time, she had accumulated a vast amount of wealth. She left an
827:
132:
apparent lack of regard for marital traditions, only seeing the unions and separations as political tools for his expansion of power.
801:
30:
dynasty, one of the most prominent families in northeastern Italy, Cunizza's marriages and liaisons, most notably with troubadour
652:
Dante and the Mystics: A Study of the Mystical Aspect of the Divina Commedia and Its Relations with Some of Its Mediaeval Sources
173:, a knight, as her new lover, with whom she left to live with her other brother Alberico da Romano. By 1239, Alberico had become
360:
A fictionalized account of the courtship between Riccardo and Cunizza, one with quite a different outcome, forms the basis for
772:
366:
352:, turning three Ghibelline brothers over to the Ferrarese Guelphs to be executed, after offering the brothers protection.
822:
204:
139:. At the same time, Ezzelino III married the count’s sister Zilia, a double alliance that would forge peace between the
744:
108:
832:
242:
85:, were conceived with Ezzelino's third wife, Adelaide degli Alberti di Mangona, a noblewoman of Tuscan origin.
120:
337:
276:
140:
74:
186:
82:
190:
34:, are widely documented. Cunizza also appears as a character in a number of works of literature, such as
600:
481:
341:
340:, Dante's leading patron, will assume control of Treviso as absolute autocrat, after its current ruler,
316:
Cunizza’s sin, now existing as divine love, is a transformation that Dante uses for multiple figures in
70:
220:, a Tuscan who later appeared in the frozen circle for the betrayers of kin in Canto XXXII of Dante’s
170:
817:
99:
151:
to abduct Cunizza and return her to her father’s court. In 1226, it was Ezzelino III who became the
460:
452:
345:
250:
124:
78:
718:
650:
797:
724:
697:
530:
444:
258:
279:, and it has been suggested that Cunizza and Ezzelino embody an application of this concept.
217:
789:
436:
333:
308:
271:
135:
In 1222, Cunizza da Romano married her first husband, the Count Rizzardo di Sanbonifacio of
58:
379:
374:
246:
222:
35:
189:, a Vicentine nobleman, as a declaration of political allegiance. However, accounts from
361:
811:
464:
144:
40:
169:
In order to avoid being married by her brother for political alliance, Cunizza took
691:
625:
584:
568:
551:
524:
507:
155:
and banished Rizzardo from Verona, officially severing Cunizza’s first marriage.
212:
440:
384:
174:
152:
23:
666:
448:
27:
253:
encounter Cunizza da Romano and Folco of Marseille in the heaven of Venus,
425:"Marriage and Political Violence in the Chronicles of the Medieval Veneto"
148:
31:
456:
424:
178:
586:
Storia degli Ecelini di Giambatista Verci. Tomo primo [-terzo]
389:
349:
332:
Cunizza is additionally tasked with discussing the corruption of the
136:
62:
241:
163:
162:
Cunizza then began a love affair with Sordello. A troubadour from
119:
66:
693:
Through Human Love to God: Essays on Dante and Petrarch
523:
Padova, Rolandino da; Padova), Rolandino (da (2004).
320:besides her. She acknowledges that her dwelling in
269:Cunizza da Romano appears in Canto IX of Dante’s
794:Dante: The Poet, the Political Thinker, the Man
288:
77:nobleman. Cunizza, along with her two brothers
57:Cunizza da Romano was born around 1198 in the
336:and northeastern Italy. She prophesizes that
69:. She was the third and youngest daughter of
8:
301:and vulgar minds may find this hard to see.
295:because this planet’s radiance conquered me.
526:Vita e morte di Ezzelino da Romano: cronaca
291:Both he and I were born of one same root:
218:Count Alessandro degli Alberti da Mangona
61:, a region in northeastern Italy between
745:"Dante Lab at Dartmouth College: Reader"
529:(in Italian). Fondazione Lorenzo Valla.
89:Medieval marriage and historical context
667:"Ethics, Politics and Justice in Dante"
402:
299:the reason for my fate; I do not grieve
720:Reading Dante: The Pursuit of Meaning
506:Goito), Sordello (da; Lollis (1896).
293:Cunizza was my name, and I shine here
7:
476:
474:
418:
416:
414:
412:
410:
408:
406:
771:. giuseppeverdi.it. Archived from
509:Vita e poesie di Sordello di Goito
14:
769:"Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio"
655:. J. M. Dent & sons Limited.
838:Characters in the Divine Comedy
344:, is killed. She also foresees
127:, "Sordello and Cunizza" (1864)
556:(in Latin). Editrice Antenore.
297:But in myself I pardon happily
109:Count Rizzardo da Sanbonifacio
22:(c. 1198–1279) was an Italian
1:
550:Pagliarini, Battista (1990).
373:Cunizza is mentioned in both
367:Oberto conte di San Bonifacio
696:. Troubador Publishing Ltd.
573:(in Italian). N. Zanichelli.
570:Annales civitatis Vincentiae
423:Silverman, Diana C. (2011).
16:Italian noblewoman (d. 1279)
649:Gardner, Edmund G. (1913).
100:equally divided inheritance
856:
828:13th-century Italian women
567:Smereglo, Niccolò (1921).
512:(in Italian). M. Niemeyer.
261:(1444–50), British Museum.
116:Personal life and liaisons
102:. Ezzelino III received a
690:Williams, Pamela (2007).
441:10.1017/S003871341100114X
205:Cavalcante de' Cavalcanti
307:Dante Alighieri (trans.
338:Cangrande I della Scala
325:a rare instance in the
277:Charles Martel of Anjou
141:Guelphs and Ghibellines
749:dantelab.dartmouth.edu
314:
262:
128:
83:Ezzelino III da Romano
717:Hede, Jesper (2007).
245:
123:
71:Ezzelino II da Romano
796:, I.B.Tauris, 2007,
311:), Paradiso IX.31-36
187:Naimerio da Breganze
26:and a member of the
823:13th-century deaths
723:. Lexington Books.
601:"Cunizza da Romano"
482:"Cunizza da Romano"
191:Battista Pagliarini
346:Alessandro Novello
342:Rizzardo da Camino
263:
129:
125:Federico Faruffini
79:Alberico da Romano
730:978-0-7391-2196-2
703:978-1-905886-40-1
605:La Divine Comédie
589:(in Latin). 1779.
536:978-88-04-52727-5
486:La Divine Comédie
259:Giovanni di Paolo
32:Sordello da Goito
20:Cunizza da Romano
845:
790:Barbara Reynolds
777:
776:
765:
759:
758:
756:
755:
741:
735:
734:
714:
708:
707:
687:
681:
680:
678:
677:
663:
657:
656:
646:
640:
639:
637:
636:
622:
616:
615:
613:
612:
597:
591:
590:
581:
575:
574:
564:
558:
557:
547:
541:
540:
520:
514:
513:
503:
497:
496:
494:
493:
478:
469:
468:
420:
364:'s first opera,
334:March of Treviso
312:
309:Allen Mandelbaum
171:Bonio di Treviso
59:Marca Trivigiana
855:
854:
848:
847:
846:
844:
843:
842:
833:Ezzelini family
808:
807:
786:
781:
780:
767:
766:
762:
753:
751:
743:
742:
738:
731:
716:
715:
711:
704:
689:
688:
684:
675:
673:
665:
664:
660:
648:
647:
643:
634:
632:
624:
623:
619:
610:
608:
599:
598:
594:
583:
582:
578:
566:
565:
561:
549:
548:
544:
537:
522:
521:
517:
505:
504:
500:
491:
489:
480:
479:
472:
422:
421:
404:
399:
375:Robert Browning
358:
313:
306:
303:
300:
298:
296:
294:
292:
240:
235:Cunizza in the
232:
216:to her cousin,
213:inter vivo gift
200:
118:
91:
55:
50:
36:Dante Alighieri
17:
12:
11:
5:
853:
852:
849:
841:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
810:
809:
806:
805:
785:
782:
779:
778:
775:on 2007-03-02.
760:
736:
729:
709:
702:
682:
658:
641:
617:
592:
576:
559:
542:
535:
515:
498:
470:
435:(3): 652–687.
401:
400:
398:
395:
362:Giuseppe Verdi
357:
356:In other works
354:
348:, a bishop at
304:
289:
239:
233:
231:
228:
199:
196:
159:be destroyed.
117:
114:
90:
87:
54:
51:
49:
46:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
851:
850:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
815:
813:
803:
802:1-84511-554-6
799:
795:
791:
788:
787:
783:
774:
770:
764:
761:
750:
746:
740:
737:
732:
726:
722:
721:
713:
710:
705:
699:
695:
694:
686:
683:
672:
668:
662:
659:
654:
653:
645:
642:
631:
627:
621:
618:
606:
602:
596:
593:
588:
587:
580:
577:
572:
571:
563:
560:
555:
554:
546:
543:
538:
532:
528:
527:
519:
516:
511:
510:
502:
499:
487:
483:
477:
475:
471:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
446:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
419:
417:
415:
413:
411:
409:
407:
403:
396:
394:
392:
391:
386:
382:
381:
376:
371:
369:
368:
363:
355:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
330:
328:
327:Divine Comedy
323:
319:
310:
302:
287:
285:
280:
278:
274:
273:
267:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
238:
237:Divine Comedy
234:
230:In literature
229:
227:
225:
224:
219:
215:
214:
208:
206:
197:
195:
192:
188:
182:
180:
176:
172:
167:
165:
160:
156:
154:
150:
146:
145:d’Este family
142:
138:
133:
126:
122:
115:
113:
110:
105:
101:
97:
88:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
52:
47:
45:
43:
42:
41:Divine Comedy
37:
33:
29:
25:
21:
804:, p. 12
793:
773:the original
763:
752:. Retrieved
748:
739:
719:
712:
692:
685:
674:. Retrieved
670:
661:
651:
644:
633:. Retrieved
629:
620:
609:. Retrieved
604:
595:
585:
579:
569:
562:
552:
545:
525:
518:
508:
501:
490:. Retrieved
485:
432:
428:
388:
378:
372:
365:
359:
331:
326:
321:
317:
315:
290:
283:
281:
270:
268:
264:
254:
236:
221:
211:
209:
201:
183:
168:
161:
157:
134:
130:
103:
95:
92:
56:
39:
19:
18:
818:1198 births
630:webs.ucm.es
607:(in French)
488:(in French)
198:Final years
812:Categories
754:2021-04-04
676:2021-04-04
635:2021-04-04
611:2021-04-04
492:2021-03-31
397:References
385:Ezra Pound
75:Ghibelline
53:Early life
24:noblewoman
671:UCL Press
626:"Tenzone"
465:162963536
449:0038-7134
48:Biography
28:da Romano
553:Cronicae
457:41408938
429:Speculum
380:Sordello
322:Paradiso
318:Paradiso
305:—
284:Paradiso
272:Paradiso
255:Paradiso
251:Beatrice
149:Sordello
104:fraterna
96:fraterna
65:and the
784:Sources
257:IX. By
223:Inferno
179:Treviso
175:podestĂ
153:podestĂ
800:
727:
700:
533:
463:
455:
447:
390:Cantos
350:Feltre
137:Verona
63:Venice
461:S2CID
453:JSTOR
247:Dante
164:Goito
98:, or
798:ISBN
725:ISBN
698:ISBN
531:ISBN
445:ISSN
383:and
249:and
81:and
73:, a
67:Alps
437:doi
387:'s
377:'s
282:In
177:of
38:'s
814::
792:,
747:.
669:.
628:.
603:.
484:.
473:^
459:.
451:.
443:.
433:86
431:.
427:.
405:^
393:.
370:.
207:.
44:.
757:.
733:.
706:.
679:.
638:.
614:.
539:.
495:.
467:.
439::
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
