Denizens of the Valley of the Princes
The rulers in the flowering valley of Purgatorio VII, with their lines, textual cues, and Dante's judgment of each.
| Ruler | Title/Realm | Lines | Textual Cue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rudolf I of Hapsburg | Holy Roman Emperor | 91-96 | “He who sits the highest . . . whose jaw is set While the rest sing” | Dante faults him for failing to heal Italy’s wounds. |
| Ottokar II of Bohemia | King of Bohemia | 97-102 | “That one who looks upon him hearteningly . . . a finer king … than Wenceslaus” | Former rival of Rudolf; praised as better than his son. |
| Wenceslaus II of Bohemia | King of Bohemia | 103-105 | “his son with a full beard who feeds on lechery and lazy ease” | Not named directly; unmistakably alluded to. |
| Philip the Bold | King of France | 106-111 | “That button-nose who seems to be conferring with the kindly one” | Paired with Henry of Navarre; criticized for weakness. |
| Henry I of Navarre | King of Navarre | 112-114 | “he of strapping limbs who sings in one accord with [Philip the Bold]” | Father of Queen Joan I; died young. |
| Peter III of Aragon | King of Aragon | 114-120 | “if the lad who sits behind had survived to be his kingly heir” | Dante praises him as more virtuous than his peers. |
| Charles I of Anjou (Charles of Naples) | King of Naples and Sicily | 124-129 | “My words no less pertain to Big Nose” | Dante’s political enemy; blamed for tyranny in Italy. |
| Henry III of England | King of England | 130-132 | “Now see the king that sits there all alone” | Father of Edward I; portrayed as mild and ineffective. |
| William VII of Montferrat | Marquis of Montferrat | 133-136 | “And he who sits beneath them, on the ground” | Only non-king; included due to political negligence. |