Dante Alighieri, the Italian poet and philosopher of the late Middle Ages better known by his magnum opus, The Divine Comedy, wrote De Monarchia as a political treatise about the Church and the monarchy.

Written around 1313–1314, amidst the turmoil of medieval politics, Dante proposes a vision for a just and orderly society. In this work, he argues for the separation of spiritual and temporal powers, delineating the authority of the Pope in spiritual matters and the Emperor in temporal affairs.

Dante contends that a universal monarch, untethered to regional or ecclesiastical interests, is essential to establish and preserve peace among nations, maintaining that such a ruler would ensure adherence to divine and natural law.

De Monarchia thus stands not only as a testament to Dante's political and theological convictions but also as a brave medieval political treatise.