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1350
First meeting with Petrarch in Florence. Work begins on the Genealogia deorum gentilium, a work which is not finished until 1374.
1351
Boccaccio moves to Padua where he again meets Petrarch. He joins the court of Louis of Bavaria as embassador from the city-state of Florence. The first draft of the Trattatello in laude di Dante reaches completion.
1355
Boccaccio returns to Naples. Earliest feasible date of the second draft of the Amorosa visione which is definitively completed in 1360. Work begins on the De casibus virorum illustrium and the De montibus, silvis, fontibus et de nominibus maris liber finished respectively in 1363 and 1364.
1357
Boccaccio, in Ravenna, probably receives the Invective contra medicum from Petrarch.
1359
Third meeting with Petrarch, this time in Milan. Boccaccio named ambassador to Lombardy, perhaps at the court of Bernabò Visconti.
1360
First complete version of the De casibus and first abridged edition of the Trattatello. Pope Innocent VI inducts Boccaccio into the clergy. In an aborted coup d'état in Florence, several of Boccaccio's friends and acquaintances are implicated, some of whom (including Niccolò di Bartolo Del Buono and others) are subsequently executed. For the next four years, Boccaccio receives no further official Florentine appointments.
1361
Boccaccio withdraws to Certaldo. Work begins on De mulieribus claris.
1361-62
Return, for unidentified reasons, to Ravenna. Here he collects information regarding San Pier Damiani for Petrarch who is working on De vita solitaria.
1362
Definitive version of the De mulieribus. Composition of Vita sanctissimi patris Petri Damiani.
1363
Following a serious crisis of faith, Boccaccio dedicates himself exclusively to spiritual pursuits. He travels again to Naples but stays there only for a relatively short period on account of his luke warm reception. After returning to Florence, he goes to Padua to see Petrarch but eventually meets him in Venice where the latter had moved. In July Boccaccio proceeds to Certaldo. The final version of the Genealogie is brought to its conclusion.
1364-65
Boccaccio engages in an enduring epistolary debate with Petrarch on compositions in the vernacular.
1365
Travels to the papal court of Urban V in Avignon as Florentine ambassador. Composition of the Corbaccio. Boccaccio dedicates himself to the second abridged edition of the Trattatello.
1367
Visit to Venice where Boccaccio does not have the opportunity to meet with Petrarch but does find Petrarch's daughter and son-in-law. Boccaccio takes ambassadorship to the papal court in Rome.
1368
Meeting with Petrarch in Padua around whom many intellectuals and literary figures have gathered.
1369-70
Boccaccio oversees the publication of the Buccolicum carmen.
1370-71
After a last trip to Naples, Boccaccio retires to Certaldo.
1372
Boccaccio is increasingly troubled by obesity, and also by a form of dropsy which impedes his movement, together with attacks of scabies and high fevers.
1373
Dedication of the definitive version of the De casibus to Mainardo Cavalcanti. Continuation of revisions of the Genealogie. Boccaccio is entrusted by Florence to conduct a series of readings and lectures on the Divina Commedia.
1374
In a state of financial troubles and ailing health, Boccaccio returns to Certaldo where he learns of Petrarch's death. The passing of his long-time friend inspires the last sonnet of his mature poems. Work continues on the Genealogie.
1375
Boccaccio dies on December 21 at his home in Certaldo.
(G.M., M.P.) Adapted from: Muscetta, Carlo. "Giovanni Boccaccio". Letteratura italiana Laterza. Bari: Laterza, 1989. Ferroni, Giulio. Storia della letteratura italiana vol. I "Dalle origini al Quattrocento" Turin: Einaudi, 1991.
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