Petrarch was an influential humanist and poet who lived and wrote contemporary to Cola di Rienzo. In 1341, probably on April 8th, Petrarch was crowned poet laureate at the Campidoglio. When he was selected for this honor, he was given his choice of city for the ceremony. He wanted to restore the poetic tradition of the ancients and felt that by choosing Rome he was taking his place among them. If you would like to read his coronation oration, it can be found here: http://www.jstor.org/stable/460017?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents (ignore the introduction). As you stand on the Campidoglio, you can imagine Petrarch giving this speech in the heart of Rome, receiving one of the greatest honors of his life.

Petrarch was passionate about renewing the ancient grandeur of Rome and wanted to reinstate it as a central power. He despised the Avignon Papacy and sent letters to the Pope pleading for a Papal return to Rome.. So naturally, when Cola rose to power, Petrarch supported him. Petrarch desired to become the Virgil to Cola’s Augustus. He offered his poetic services and Cola readily accepted. Just like Cola’s reign, Petrarch’s support for Cola did not last long, but it was important in framing how the world saw Cola. Because Petrarch’s works were widely read from after his death up until the present day, the letters and poems written about Cola have continued to influence the public view of Cola and his Rome.