Introduction

ix

Editor’s Note

xxix

Translator’s Note

xxx

Acknowledgements

xxxiii

LUCREZIA TORNABUONI DE’ MEDICI (1425-1482)

2

ANTONIA GIANNOTTI PULCI (1452-?)

10

CAMILLA SCARAMPA (15th century)

15

BARBARA BENTIVOGLIO STROZZI TORELLI
(c. 1475-1533)

18

VERONICA GAMBARA (1485-1550)

23

AURELIA PETRUCCI (1511-1542)

41

LEONORA RAVIRA FALLETTI (16th century)

45

VITTORIA COLONNA (1492-1547)

49

OLIMPIA MALIPIERA (?-1559?)

77

TULLIA D’ARAGONA (c. 1510-1556)

81

CHIARA MATRAINI (1515-1604?)

93

LAURA BACIO TERRACINA (1519-c.1577)

104

ISABELLA DI MORRA (1520-1546)

114

LUCIA BERTANI DELL’ORO (1521-1567)

128

GASPARA STAMPA (1523-1554)

134

LAURA BATTIFERRI AMMANNATI (1523-1589)

160

VERONICA FRANCO (1546-1591)

169

MODERATA FONTE (1555-1592)

209

ISABELLA ANDREINI (1562-1604)

221

Historical Note

251

Map of Italy about 1559

253

General Bibliography

255

Index of First Lines of Italian Poetry

265