Which classical and European writers influenced Edmund Spenser’s poetry?

Edmund Spenser’s poetry was deeply influenced by a wide range of classical and European writers, whose works provided the foundational themes and forms for his own compositions.1

Classical Influences

The Roman epic poet Virgil was a primary inspiration for Spenser. Spenser modeled his career after Virgil, beginning with pastoral eclogues in The Shepheardes Calender and later drawing upon the Aeneid as a structural and thematic model for his epic, The Faerie Queene.123

European Influences

Spenser’s work was also shaped by significant Italian and French literary traditions:
* Italian Writers: The epic poems of Ludovico Ariosto (Orlando furioso) and Torquato Tasso (Gerusalemme liberata) were essential to the creation of The Faerie Queene. Additionally, the sonnet and canzone forms developed by Petrarch were instrumental in the composition of Spenser’s Amoretti and Epithalamion.1
* French Writers: Spenser translated works by Joachim du Bellay early in his career and drew upon the French pastoral tradition for his own pastoral poetry.1

Furthermore, Spenser was influenced by the older English tradition of Geoffrey Chaucer, whose work he sought to continue.3