Orlando innamorato

by Matteo Maria Boiardo

"Orlando innamorato" by Matteo Maria Boiardo is a chivalric poem written beginning in 1476. The work follows Orlando, the legendary paladin of Charlemagne's court, as he abandons reason and duty when he falls desperately in love with Angelica, a beautiful princess from the East. Through duels, magic, and romantic rivalries, the poem blends Carolingian epic tradition with Arthurian romance. Written in ottava rima, this unfinished masterpiece later inspired Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso" and introduced timeless characters driven by universal human desires.