Alessandro Manzoni Milan March 7 1785 Milan May 22 1873 was an Italian writer and poet one of the most important figures in the literature of his country Manzoni composed his masterpiece I Promessi Sposi The Betrothed between 1821 and 1840 The work The Betrothed tells the story of two young peasants who intend to marry but are hindered by a local lord Don Rodrigo who has a network of agents at his disposal The Betrothed is a historical novel tha...