Gualdrada

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In the Commedia, Gualdrada is mentioned in Canto XVI of the Inferno, where she is recalled with the appellation of "buona Gualdrada," a title that qualifies her as an example of good customs in ancient Florence. The notes to the passage identify her as the daughter of Bellincion Berti and the wife of Guido il Vecchio, the progenitor of the Conti Guidi. From one of her five sons descends Guido Guerra, who in the canto proclaims himself the grandson of Gualdrada, presenting her as a virtuous model of the Florentine past in sharp contrast to contemporary decadence. The note also specifies that the designation "buona" is typical of other exemplary figures of citizens in the Commedia, underlining the honor attributed to such a lineage.