In 1285, he married Gemma Di Manetto Donati (they later had two sons and two daughters). Then, after the death of Bice di Folco Portinari, Dante began studying philosophy and theology in depth. He joined a Medical Corporation in 1295, which started him off in his political career. In 1300, his career culminated in his becoming priore (a governor of sorts).

In this position, Dante had to decide whether to oppose or support Pope Bonifacio VIII’s expansion policy. He decided to oppose the policy, which was supported by the Black Guelfi Party. When the Black Guelfi Party won (with the support of a French prince, Carlo di Valois, Dante was defeated, his property was seized, and he was accused of fraud. He was sentenced to a fine and two-years of exile. When he refused to pay the fine, he was sentenced to death by burning at the stake.

Thus, Dante escaped to the north of Italy where he tried to seek refuge with some rich families. Dante never returned to Florence; and he never saw his wife again. His sons, Pietro and Jacopo, and his daughter later joined him.

During the early years of his exile Dante wrote two important works in Latin. De Vulgari Eloquentia (1304-1305) is a treatise on the uses and advantages of the Italian language. The unfinished Convivio (c. 1304-07) was intended to be a digest, in 15 books, of all the knowledge of the time.

Dante's epic masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, was probably begun around 1307; and he completed the work shortly before his death. It is divided into three sections, correspondingly named the Inferno (Hell), the Purgatorio (Purgatory), and the Paradiso (Paradise).

Eventually he stayed with the Della Scala family of Verona, after which he moved to the Court of Guido Novello da Polenta at Ravenna. He became ill and died in 1321 on his return from a diplomatic mission to Venice.

Dante ranks right up ther with Shakespeare and Goethe as one of the greatest writers in Western European Literature. In Italy, he was the first writer to use the language spoken by the people for a work of high literary and moral content. Prior to his Divine Comedy, all elevated literature was written in Latin.