Britannica AI Icon

Orlando innamorato

work by Boiardo

Quick Summary

Orlando innamorato is an epic poem by Matteo Maria Boiardo, written around 1476 and published in two parts in 1483. It is notable for being the first work to blend elements of both Arthurian and Carolingian romance traditions, revitalizing the chivalric epic genre.1

The poem tells the story of Orlando (Roland), a knight of Charlemagne, who falls in love with the beautiful princess Angelica. This unrequited love drives much of the narrative, leading Orlando to madness in later interpretations. Boiardo's work was intended to be a three-part epic, but he died before completing the third part. Ludovico Ariosto later conceived his famous poem, Orlando furioso, as a sequel to Boiardo's work. While Orlando innamorato did not achieve widespread popularity in its time due to its language and complex structure, it significantly influenced later epic poetry.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.