BW8: 13th Century

This month I am delving into the 13th Century which ran from 1201 to 1300.   Since we have been armchair traveling in Italy this month,  let's concentrate on Italian literature for the moment.  In the 13th Century,  the sonnet became the most popular form of poetry and spread from King Frederick's Sicilian court out through Europe.  Up until the 1260's, the sonnets were all about romance and chivalry.  Guido Guinizelli introduced the mystical and philosophical style which Dante used for his La Vita Nuova.  Folk, doctrinal and religious poetry all came into play during the time period as well. 

If you look at Goodread's lists of The Best Books of the 13th Century and  Popular 13th Century literature, besides Sharon Kay Penman and Elizabeth Chadwick, whom I mentioned before, you'll also find Dante's La Vita Nuova, Umberto Eco's Baudolini, Edith Pargetter's Brothers of Gwynedd as well as Dante's Divine Comedy, St. Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theology and Sufi mystic Rumi's Love Poetry.  Quite an assortment to choose from.

For more information on 13th Century literature check out Factbites for interesting tidbits of information that I'm sure will send you on all kinds of rabbit trails.   And for sacred poetry around the world by century, check out Poetry Chaikhana. 

Join me in reading a book set in the 13th Century.

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