Cacciaguida

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Cacciaguida degli Elisei (c. 1091 – c. 1148) was an Italian crusader, the great-great-grandfather of Dante Alighieri.

Little is known about his life. He was born in Florence, and two documents from 1189 and 1201 mention his existence; all other details of his biography are those from his most famous descendant's works. Cacciaguida probably died in the Holy Land.

Dante meets Cacciaguida in Paradiso, precisely in the canti XV-XVII. Apart from their literary value, the canti are important for the information they provide about Florence in the 12th century. In the canto XVII, Cacciaguida forecasts Dante's future, namely his exile from Florence and the solitude of his late years.