Beatrice Portinari

Beatrice Portinari was an Italian noblewoman and Dante's muse. She was born in Florence, Italy in 1266 and was a member of the powerful Portinari family. Dante met Beatrice in 1290 and she became his inspiration for The Divine Comedy. Beatrice was known for her beauty, intelligence, and strong will. She died in 1290 at the age of 24. Dante was deeply affected by her death and wrote about her in The Divine Comedy. Beatrice is often referred to as Dante's 'true love'.