Cianchella Della Tosa

Cianghella della Tosa (Florence, c. 1290 – 19 March 1339) lived in late medieval Florence, Italy. She was born into the Florentine Della Tosa family and married into the Alidosi family of Imola, near Bologna. She was married to Lippo II degli Alidosi, a lord of Imola.

A Lady of Ill-Repute Benvenuto da Imola, a commentator of Dante, claimed to have heard horrible things about Cianghella from his neighbor in Imola. In lines 126–128, Cacciaguida refers to Cianghella:As great a marvel then would have been held

A Lapo Salterello, a Cianghella,

As Cincinnatus or Cornelia now. In this misogynistic work, Boccaccio identifies a "sect" of women who follow Cianghella's teachings (cianghellina). According to Boccaccio, Cianghella and her sect are said to define wise women as those "who have daring and courage" as well as "lecherous appetites." Using her own language, Boccaccio calls Cianghella a wise woman herself due to her interest in men's sexual, rather than knightly, prowess.