On December 5, 1456 CE, a powerful earthquake, estimated at magnitude 7.2, struck the Province of Benevento in the Kingdom of Naples (modern-day Italy). This was the largest and most widespread earthquake on the Italian Peninsula, and it was followed by another major shock on December 30. The quake killed an estimated 30,000 to 70,000 people.

The 1456 earthquakes were recorded in numerous Italian chronicles and inspired a wave of religious and moralistic writings. The disaster was interpreted as a punishment for sin and contributed to the apocalyptic and penitential themes that were common in the literature of the Italian Renaissance. The event is a significant part of the historical background for the works of poets and writers who grappled with the problem of human suffering and divine justice.