4. Dante’s personal life and his writing were greatly influenced by the politics of late 13 th century Florence. Dante and his family belonged to a powerful political party, the Whites, who supported an independent Florence, one free of Papal control. The opposition to the White Party, the Blacks, wanted to work with the Pope to gain control of Florence. Under the control of Pope Boniface VIII, the Black party successfully gained control of Florence. Dante, seen as a vocal, visible and influential leader of the Whites, was exiled. Such began Dante’s deep-seated hatred of the Black party and the Pope. It is with members of the Black party and the Pope that Dante populates his Inferno, each with his own special level of Hell.