Dante Alighieri read widely as a young man and became involved in the public affairs of Florence. In struggles over the Florentine government, Dante found himself on the losing side and as a result he was exiled in 1302. He lived in various places in northern Italy for the next several years and finally settled in Ravenna. Dante lived out his years there, esteemed as a great man of letters.
interesting if you can get through it...now I get the references.