True Crime Medieval

Fra Alberigo, Faenza 1285

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February 11, 2020 11:00pm

37m

As far as we can figure out, the only reason that anybody knows anything about Fra Alberigo, who murdered a couple of kinsmen at a banquet in 1285 in Faenza, is that Dante stuck him in the traitors' level of hell in the Inferno.  Horrible crime! Violation of the ancient laws of hospitality!  But he didn't get arrested, he didn't go to trial, he just ended up in Hell before he actually died, because Dante tweaked theology, and so now he lives on. Forever. In footnotes to the Inferno. We discuss the Jovial Friars, the 9th circle of hell, and medieval lasagne.  Indeed, if you go over to the Show Notes, we're including a recipe.