Guido Cavalcanti (c. 1250 – 1300) was an Italian poet who was a friend and colleague of Dante.
He was born in Florence and was the son of a philosopher whom Dante condemns to torment in The Inferno. By marriage, he became head of the Ghibelline party. Unlike Dante, he was an atheist. His poetry explores the philosophy of love, and he also wrote prose on philosophy and oratory.
When the Florentines tired of the party brawling and exiled the leaders of both factions, Cavalcanti was sent to Sarzana, where he died of fever.
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