Salomone Fiorentino

Born in Monte San Savino, Salomone Fiorentino (1743–1815) was the first Italian Jewish poet of major importance. The author of elegies, sonnets, and vernacular lyric poetry, he also served as court poet to Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany. After the death of his wife in 1789, he composed three elegies in her memory, earning admission to the Florentine Academy and the title of poet laureate.

In 1799, following the anti-Jewish uprisings of the Viva Maria movement, he was forced to leave Monte San Savino and moved first to Siena and then to Florence, where he continued his literary activity until his death.