Aleardi, Aleardo (1812–1878)

Italian poet and patriot. His poems are full of passionate hopes for the liberation of Italy. They include ‘Il Monte Circello/Mount Circello’ (1852), ‘Le città italiane marinare e commercianti/Italian Maritime and Commercial Cities’ (1856), ‘I tre fiumi/The Three Rivers’ (1857), and ‘Triste dramma/Sad Drama’ (1859).

He took part in the insurrection of 1848 against Austria, and was twice imprisoned by the Austrians, in 1852 and 1859. After his second imprisonment he has finally sent into exile. He returned to Verona when the Austrians were expelled in 1866 and, in the same year, was Veronese representative in the Italian parliament. He was later appointed senator, and was professor of aesthetics in Florence 1864–74. His major poems were collected and published together in 1864 under the title Canti/Songs.