Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
Bands of foreign mercenaries, like the ones Petrarch complains of in Canzone 128, were often led by Italian noblemen. (Source.)
Petrarch is most famous for his love poems concerning his beloved Laura—not for his political commentary. (Source.)
Petrarch's family was connected with Dante Alighieri; he was also friends with famed writer Giovanni Boccaccio. (Source.)
Petrarch is credited with coining the phrase "Dark Ages" to describe the medieval period. (Source.)