Braccio from Montone between history and legend

Between the XIV and XV centuries, a time when north-central Italy was plagued by armed bands, when the Church was contested by three different Popes, Andrea Fortebracci, later to become known as Braccio Fortebracci, was born in Montone of a family accepted into the ranks of Perugian nobility. Following the conflicts between the noble factions for control of Perugia,  the Fortebracci together with their allies were exiled. This exile marked the young Braccio who devoted his whole life to avenging his family.
Such was the hope placed in this young boy by Oddo, his father, that Braccio was taken to Bologna, wile still in swaddling-clothes, to see a famous astrologer who predicted that the boy would become famous in the military field and that his death would occur immediately after that of his most bitter enemy.
Hence his father took grat care to provide Braccio with the best teachers both in letters and in the art of combat. At fourteen he was enrolled in Alberico da Barbiano’s school where he aroused the envy of his yellow pupils as well as that of his teacher himself.
His desire to avenge the shame suffered by his family brought Braccio back to Umbria where he fostered the dream of one day becoming ruler of Perugia.
Thus he began to raise a large army of exclusively Italian soldiers earning the respect of the city of Florence and the patronage of one of the Popes then contending the throne of peter, John XXIII, who named him Count of Montone and appointed him Captain general of the Church. He became legendary for his strategic skill: “Braccio, loved by his soldiers, feared by his enemies, obeyed  by  his people… kenew and foresaw all the enemy’s movements… he seemed to see all while remaining unseen.”
He based the success of his troops on the speed and mobility of the wings with which he harassed the enemy throwing at them wave upon wave of small elite troops in rotation thus guaranteeing that his troops were always fresh. Finally on 15th July 1416, at the battle of Saint Egidio, Braccio defeated the troops of Perugia and a few days later was proclaimed its lord an ruler. As governor of Perugia he was an excellent administrator, ready to undertake memorable works in little time, considerate of the people he governed and skilful in meeting out justice among the factions of the city.
His ambition was still not appeased and he wished to see the creation of a large state in central Italy with Perugia as irs capital. Such a project was bound to meet with the opposition of  the new and sole Pope, Martin V who saw this as a serious threat to the Papal States. At first he attempted to stop Braccio's popularuty by excommunicating him, then he formed a vast alliance with the Kingdom of   Naples, the Duke of Urbino, and the Visconti family which put and end to Braccio's effort to conquer l'Aquila. Braccio Fortebracci, Prince of Capua, Count of Montone, Lord of Perugia, nobleman of Sicily and Governor of the Abruzzi died on 4th June 1424, just as the astrologer had predicted, a few days after the death of Muzio Attendolo Sforza his most bitter enemy History has given us Braccio from Montone, a multifaceted man larger than life. In him lived the warrior bent of the descruction of the enemy through skilful strategy, the great politician and diplomat, the visionary and reformer and the charismatic orator. The envy of his fortress in Montone and his palace in Perugia, but also of all the documents which wold have enabled us to better know this extraordinary man who would have preceded the unification of Italy by 400 years had he won the battle of  l'Aquila.