A Body Written in Scars: The Career of Bernardino di Montone

How the nephew of Braccio da Montone built his own formidable reputation

Bernardino di Montone (Bernardino Fortebracci), Count. Son of Carlo di Montone, brother of Braccio di Montone, and father of Carlo di Montone.

Born: 1441
Death: 1531, May

Year, Month	State, Comp. ventura	Opponent	Command	Area of Activity	Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts
1463, Aug.	Venice	Trieste		V. Giulia	Takes part in the siege of Trieste.
1469, May.				Veneto	At Lonigo.
1477, Aug. Sept.	of Montone	Church	260 horses	Umbria	Defends the castle of Montone from the attacks of the papal forces commanded by Federico da Montefeltro. He carries out numerous sorties; in one of these, he sets fire to a palace in Città di Castello in which three people die of suffocation. Roberto Malatesta convinces his sister Margherita, wife of his father Carlo, to surrender, ceding the castle and fortress on a day when he is lodged outside the fortress. 6,000 florins are delivered to his mother; Montone leaves the territory.
1477, Nov.				Piedmont	In Valle Agarina; attends the peace treaty between the Duke of Savoy, on one side, and the Duke of Milan and Marquis Guglielmo of Monferrato, on the other.
1478, Aug.	Florence	Church Naples		Umbria	He sets fire to a palace in the Perugia area with thirty people inside. He appears at night before Città di Castello with Niccolò Vitelli, Bernardino da Todi, and Andrea Corso (four squads of horse and 3,000 infantry). He sets fire to the Porta di San Florido and seizes the mill located on the bridge; his soldiers climb the walls but are repelled due to the resistance encountered. No disorder in favor of the Florentines arises in the city, so he is forced to withdraw, taking with him Gian Francesco da Piagnano, who was captured in the event. The Marche captain dies shortly after from head wounds.
1478, Sept.				Tuscany	He is besieged in Monte San Savino by Montefeltro. He rides towards Asinalonga (Sinalunga) with Vitelli at the head of 400 horse and 800 infantry: houses, huts, and fodder are set on fire; at Amorosa, another six people die in the flames: on the way back, the two captains are confronted by Corso and Carlo da Faenza. They are defeated and taken prisoner with 60 men.
1479, May.			75 lances	Tuscany	He commands 3 squads of men-at-arms.
1479, June	Venice	Church Naples		Umbria	He attacks Perugia; he reaches the fortress of Porta Sant’Angelo, which he has set on fire with bundles of wood and small barrels: forced to retreat with Roberto Malatesta and Costanzo Sforza, he severely damages the territory, taking prisoners and raiding livestock. He enters the service of the Venetians; upon his father’s death, he occupies Passignano sul Trasimeno, sacks Preggio, Borghetto, Vernazzano, Frontignano, San Feliciano, Zocco for a total of 23 castles. He attacks the papal and Aragonese forces, who are defeated at Passignano sul Trasimeno; he rampages through the Chiugi and puts Migianella dei Marchesi, Zolfagnano, Montecolognola, and Monte Gualandro to fire and sword.
1479, July				Umbria and Tuscany	With Roberto Malatesta, he attacks Castiglione del Lago, defended by Carlo da Pian di Meleto; repelled into the territory of Cortona by Montefeltro, he returns to Castiglione del Lago and besieges its fortress. He rides into Val d’Orcia; with Deifobo dell’Anguillara, he sets fire to Bagno Vignoni.
1479, Aug.				Tuscany	He sets fire to other castles to avenge the destruction of Montone.
1479, Sept.				Tuscany	He besieges Andrea Corso in San Martino del Fico, suspected of having poisoned his father Carlo di Montone and, immediately after, of having deserted to the papal camp. Bernardino di Montone captures him and has him hanged from a pear tree nearby; he burns the houses and palaces of the locality as well as the castle of San Costanzo; he camps at Ponte Pattoli and repeats the usual devastations. Days later, he quickly moves to Val di Pierla to rescue the remnants of the Florentine army that was defeated at Poggio Imperiale (Poggibonsi).
1480	Exiles	Perugia		Umbria	With Carlo Baglioni, he helps Rodolfo Baglioni to re-enter Perugia and to drive out the Oddi family.
1482, May.	Venice	Ferrara	100 lances	Veneto	He fights in the War of Ferrara at the head of 500 horses. He enters the Polesine region.
1482, June				Vento	At the siege of Ficarolo. There is an assault led by the infantry of Pietro Carlino and Tommaso da Imola who attempt to scale the castle walls: when they are repelled, Montone has his men-at-arms dismount to support the infantry’s action. The Venetians occupy a section of the walkways and create a breach in the enemy lines.
1482, Autumn				Emilia	He falls ill with the plague and must leave the camp.
1482, Dec.					There is a reversal of alliances. The Papal State now declares itself hostile to the Serenissima, allying with its adversaries. Consequently, Bernardino di Montone is declared a rebel by Pope Sixtus IV.
1483, Sept.				Emilia	At Pontelagoscuro with 5 squads of men-at-arms. He now serves under Duke René of Lorraine.
1483, Dec.				Lombardy	He raids the Mantua area with the purveyor Antonio Boldù. He obtains the bastion of San Michele on the Tartaro river by treaty.
1484, Apr.				Emilia and Veneto	He returns to Pontelagoscuro; on Easter Day, he is in Venice where the Doge knights him and gives him the insignia of St. Mark.
1484, July				Emilia	He moves from Pontelagoscuro with Galeotto della Mirandola and the purveyor Luigi Querini to seize Borgo del Leone in Ferrara by treaty: the Este family counterattacks and Bernardino di Montone is forced to retreat. 400 prisoners are taken among the Venetians, who are immediately freed.
1484, Aug.				Emilia and Friuli	After the Peace of Bagnolo, he hands over Pontelagoscuro to Sigismondo d’Este; the two condottieri embrace. Before leaving, he begins the demolition of the bastion with his own hands; in the end, given the size of the fortress, he has it mined and blown up. Bernardino di Montone is transferred with his men to Friuli.
1485, Feb.				Veneto	In Venice. He attends a joust organized in St. Mark’s Square by Roberto da San Severino. In the same month, he is present at the ceremony where Giulio Cesare da Varano is given the baton and standard of governor-general.
1487, Feb.					A brief from Pope Innocent VIII lifts the ecclesiastical censures placed upon him.
1487, July	Venice	Austria		Veneto and Trentino	He fights the troops of Duke Sigismund of Austria. With Deifobo dell’Anguillara and the purveyors Cristoforo Moro and Domenico Dolfin, he moves towards Bassano del Grappa to defend the Vicenza area. He takes part in the conquest of the castle of Tesino.
1487, Aug.				Trentino	With the recovery of Rovereto, abandoned by the adversaries, he moves to Valsugana with Deifobo dell’Anguillara; he heads for Trento.
1494, Summer				Veneto	In the Polesine region. He guards the border with the Duchy of Ferrara.
1495, May.	Venice	France	560 horses	Veneto and Friuli	In Venice. In Friuli to gather troops to face the French.
1495, June				Lombardy	He quickly crosses the Oglio river with Ranuccio Farnese to join the rest of the league’s troops commanded by the Marquis of Mantua, Francesco Gonzaga.
1495, July				Emilia	He is at the league’s camp; with Marco da Martinengo, he commands 352 men-at-arms. At Fornovo, he commands the left wing of the Italic League’s army: he does not want to start the fight immediately, preferring to wait for the French to cross the Taro river. The opinion of Francesco Gonzaga prevails, who is the first to attack the enemy across the swollen river; Montone is tasked with leading the second wave. Throwing himself into the fray, he attacks the enemy according to the plans; with the rearguard, he takes some prisoners and heads towards the royal standard; he soon finds himself isolated amidst the company of Jean de Foix, because the stradiots throw themselves on the baggage train, disrupting the Venetian lines, and at the same time, the significant reserve contingents do not intervene at the crucial moment. From attacker, he becomes the attacked; he is threatened with encirclement. The Gascon and German infantry begin to kill the mounts; many men-at-arms, frightened, flee. Montone is hit several times by mace and lance blows for a total of twelve wounds (seven to the head, three to the throat, and two to the shoulders); he is thrown from his horse. Of his squad, 60 men-at-arms are killed. One of his soldiers drags him into a ditch and hides him in the vegetation.
1495, Aug.				Emilia	He is treated in Parma at the expense of the Serenissima, which sends special surgeons from Padua, Verona, and Bologna: three bone fragments are removed from his head, leaving part of his skull exposed. The Venetians increase his command to 1,000 horses and grant him an annual pension of 500 ducats.
1495, Oct.					In the battle of Fornovo, Montone’s warhorse returns to the camp alone; it is stolen by Sforza’s men. To compensate him for the loss during his convalescence, the Signoria gives him a mount, donated to the republic by the Sultan, valued at 3,000 ducats, including a saddle and bridle covered in gold, pearls, and various gems.
1496, June				Lombardy	He returns to service. In the Brescia area.
1496, Aug. Sept.	Venice	Florence	1000 horses	Tuscany	In Tuscany, in support of the Pisans fighting against the Florentines.
1496, Dec.				Piedmont	He confronts the French who are threatening Alessandria and Genoa.
1497, Feb.				Piedmont	He enters Alessandria with Niccolò Orsini and Giovan Francesco Gambara to counter the actions of Gian Giacomo da Trivulzio.
1497, July				Friuli
1498, Jan.				Veneto	He lies ill for five months.
1498, June			1000 horses		He declares himself available to move to Tuscany to fight the Florentines again: before the review, he asks for two payments because his men have pawned their weapons due to the delay in their wages.
1498, July				Friuli	At Sacile, for the review of his company.
1498, Aug. Sept.				Veneto and Lombardy	He is reported first in Lonigo and then in the Brescia area, on the Oglio river, with the task of monitoring the borders with the Duchy of Milan.
1498, Oct.				Lombardy	He is tasked with heading towards the Mantua area, joining with Gonzaga, and continuing with him towards Tuscany. He is given 4,400 ducats to put his men in order; he reaches Orzinuovi. The action fizzles out because the Marquis of Mantua, betraying all expectations, prefers to come to an agreement with the Duke of Milan at the last moment.
1498, Dec.				Lombardy and Veneto	He leaves Orzinuovi and goes to Lonigo where his winter quarters are. During the year, he is approached by Perugian exiles to join them in driving the Baglioni family out of Perugia: Venice opposes the plan and does not give him permission to leave its territories.
1499, July				Veneto	He offers to fight against the Turks in Friuli; his health is not in optimal condition; received in an audience in Venice, he feels unwell. Recovering shortly, he goes to Onigo di Piave where he is given two payments out of the three requested. His men have not received their due for ten months.
1499, Aug.	Venice	Milan	250 lances and 40 light horses	Veneto and Lombardy	He arrives in Lonigo and is urged to move to the Brescia area. He then moves to Lombardy; he connects at Pontoglio with Niccolò Orsini and Bartolomeo d’Alviano. Under his command are 250 lances and 40 light horses.
1499, Sept.			248 lances and 16 light horses	Lombardy	He soon falls ill at Pontevico, so his contribution to the ongoing conflict is limited. With the fall of Cremona, his companies are reviewed, with 248 men-at-arms and 16 crossbowmen on horseback participating.
1500, Feb.	Venice	Sforza		Lombardy	In Brescia and Cremona to counter the attempt by Ludovico Sforza to reclaim the Duchy of Milan. He stays in the latter location with Taddeo della Motella at the head of 600 horses and 600 infantry: the soldiers place their quarters in monasteries so as not to burden the inhabitants too much. When a tumult arises in Cremona caused by a quarrel in the square by some infantrymen (a musketeer accidentally kills a noblewoman at her window while handling his weapon), he immediately mounts his horse with the podestà Domenico Trevisan and calms the exasperated spirits.
1500, July				Veneto	At the end of the war, he goes to Venice, meets with Doge Agostino Barbarigo, and asks for money for his men’s wages.
1501, Jan.				Veneto	Again in Venice. He complains that since April he has received only one payment for his men.
1501, June July				Lombardy	In the Brescia area. In July in Ghiaradadda and Cremona when the Captain-General of the Serenissima, Niccolò Orsini, moves to Friuli.
1502					A company of Colleoneschi and Gatteschi is still in active service and is incorporated into his. At the time of the merger, 16 men-at-arms are retired (September).
1503, Feb.				Romagna	Stationed as a garrison in Ravenna.
1503, Aug.			940 horses	Lombardy	At Soresina, for the review of his company.
1503, Nov.				Romagna	Guarding Faenza: he is assisted by a committee of sixteen citizens, four from each city quarter. At his side is Guido Torelli, sent with some lances by the lord of Bologna, Giovanni Bentivoglio.
1505, Nov.				Veneto	In Venice. He goes to the Council of Ten for fear that his command will be taken away.
1506, Feb.					He is urged to keep his men in order.
1507, May.				Lombardy	At Soncino, for the review of his troops. On this occasion, he presents himself with a number of armed men superior to that stipulated by his contract.
1508, Jan. Feb.	Venice	Empire	800 horses	Lombardy and Veneto	Recalled from the Cremona area to face the imperial forces, he reaches Peschiera del Garda with 1,000 horses: in the new conflict, he is given direct command of 800 horses; the other 200 are part of his son Carlo’s command. He moves to Arsiero with Saccoccio da Spoleto; from there he goes to Scala.
1508, Mar.				Veneto	In Vicenza. In the year, his total pay amounts to 12,200 ducats.
1509, Feb.				Lombardy	In Cremona with his son Carlo.
1509, Mar.	Venice	France Empire		Lombardy	He is joined in Cremona by 1,000 infantry from Romagna led by Vincenzo Naldi.
1509, Apr.			200 men-at-arms	Lombardy	With the purveyor Giustiniano Morosini, Vincenzo Naldi, and Vitello Vitelli, he moves towards Treviglio to confront the French forces of Chaumont, whom Bernardino di Montone believes to be moving in disarray. Having sent 200 infantry and some stradiots as scouts, he clashes with a part of the enemy troops and pursues them to the ravelin of the gate. The rest of the French arrive; artillery is aimed at his men. The Venetians are forced to surrender at discretion. Thus, 100 light horses and 1,000 infantry, almost all from Val di Lamone, are captured, along with the purveyor Giustiniano Morosini, Vitelli, and Naldi: only 200 stradiots escape. Braccio di Montone is able to return to Cremona; he is entrusted with guarding three gates. He then moves to the camp at Pontevico where he commands the second column, consisting of 405 men-at-arms, 5,000 infantry, and 200 crossbowmen on horseback.
1509, May.				Lombardy	He arrives at Treviglio and takes part in the battle of Agnadello. He commands the vanguard. With the defeat, he flees with Lucio Malvezzi. In Venice, in the Collegio dei Pregadi, the purveyor of infantry Antonio Diedo accuses both Montone and Antonio Pio of not having done their duty.
1509, June				Veneto	He joins Niccolò Orsini in his retreat eastward, which leads him to cross the Brenta at Sambruson, and to reach Mira and the camp at Mestre: he and his men are given a payment. Montone repeats his oath of loyalty to the republic despite the intimidation of the emperor’s emissary, Leonardo da Trissino: the latter, in fact, threatens to confiscate his possessions in Lonigo and to imprison his wife and children, who reside in Padua, if he persists in his loyalty to the Venetians.
1509, July				Veneto	At the defense of Padua, which was recaptured and subsequently besieged by the imperial forces of Maximilian of Austria.
1509, Aug.			148 lances	Veneto	He welcomes the new city captain, Zaccaria Dolfin, in Padua; in the city, he lodges at Santa Giustina and commands 148 men-at-arms, with whom he guards the walls from the castle to Pontecorvo. He leaves the city with the purveyor-general Andrea Gritti to demolish a monastery, built nearby and used by the enemy as a fortified camp: he narrowly escapes an ambush that was set for him.
1509, Sept.				Veneto	With his men-at-arms and 30 crossbowmen on horseback, he is responsible for guarding the section of Padua’s walls between Santa Croce and Santa Giustina.
1509, Dec.				Veneto	He fortifies himself in Lonigo with Niccolò Orsini.
1510, Feb.			111 lances	Veneto	At the review of his company, which takes place in Lonigo. He has 111 men-at-arms under his command out of the 200 stipulated in his contract.
1510, Apr.				Veneto	At San Bonifacio. Due to his poor health, the purveyor-general Piero Marcello is tasked with sounding out his intentions and verifying the possibility of his eventual retirement from military life in exchange for an annual provision of 1,000 ducats, the ownership of a house in Padua (from the assets of the rebels), and a command for his son. He rejects every proposal and remains at the camp without any decision being made.
1510, May.				Veneto	He is among the condottieri who, like Antonio Pio, do not accept Francesco Gonzaga as captain-general in place of the recently deceased Niccolò Orsini; he participates in a war council and joins the purveyor-general Piero Marcello in Polesine with his company and 500 infantry. He heads to Porto and Castelbaldo; in that location, he is joined by the purveyor Giovanni Paolo Gradenigo. Given the disparity of forces, he advises leaving Polesine; he reaches Badia Polesine and finds that the Venetians have already retreated beyond the Adige. He falls back into the Paduan territory; to Battaglia Terme and the camp of Brentelle. From there, he heads to Bassano del Grappa with the purveyor-general Paolo Capello.
1510, June	Venice	France Empire	113 lances	Veneto	He defeats the imperial forces in the territory of Schio and returns to the camp of Brentelle, near Padua. Upon hearing that Giampaolo Manfrone, just released by the French, is arriving, he complains to the Venetians because he fears that this captain will be appointed governor-general. There is discussion in Venice about a possible appointment for him in this capacity with a command of 200 lances and a salary of 25,000 ducats: nothing comes of it. He falls ill at the camp and asks the Signoria for a dwelling in Padua since his old house was burned down by the enemy.
1510, July				Veneto	With Lucio Malvezzi, he points out to the military authorities that Padua is threatened by the enemy, not Treviso, so there is no reason to divide the army; he proposes himself again as governor-general. He asks for permission to complete the roster of his own company: during the same days, he is approached by the French who promise him the return of his property in case of his desertion in favor of the imperials. With the appointment of Malvezzi as governor-general, he reveals all his discontent: unlike other condottieri, however, he attends the ceremonies accompanying the conferment of powers to Malvezzi. He is seen in the company of this captain in Padua at the bastions of Codalunga.
1510, Aug.			107 lances	Veneto	He attends the review of his men: he accompanies the usual complaints with a request to take possession of the assets of the Paduan rebels, the Bagarotti, and the palace located in Padua belonging to Achille Borromeo. He is given a negative answer; he then asks for the properties of the Buzzaccarini and those of Artuso Conte in Creola. He leaves the camp of Torre with his colonel.
1510, Sept.				Veneto	He goes to San Martino Buon Albergo; he expresses himself against the hypothesis of a direct attack on Verona. He takes part in the clash that occurs under the city walls at the castle of San Felice.
1511, Jan.				Veneto	The purveyor-general Andrea Gritti leaves him in Montagnana with his company of men-at-arms, 400 light horses, and 700 infantry.
1511, Feb.				Emilia and Veneto	With 300 men-at-arms, 1,000 light horses, and 1,000 infantry, he approaches the Po to link up with the papal forces; he sacks Guastalla; he returns to Montagnana under pressure from Chaumont.
1511, Apr.			113 lances	Veneto	The French offensive is becoming heavier. For this reason, Bernardino di Montone moves his assets to Padua.
1511, Sept.				Veneto	He takes part in guarding Vicenza. Upon the death of Lucio Malvezzi, while waiting for the new governor-general Giampaolo Baglioni to arrive, he is elected by the Council of Savi as deputy governor-general due to his kinship with Baglioni himself. He requests a command similar to that of the deceased captain; the Council of Savi grants him, instead, a subsidy of 100 ducats and a monthly provision of 50 ducats.
1511, Oct.				Veneto	He meets Giampaolo Baglioni in Padua.
1511, Dec.				Veneto	He leaves Padua and returns to guard Vicenza when the Venetian army moves to Cadore to counter the imperial forces there.
1512, Jan.			113 lances	Friuli and Veneto	The purveyor Gradenigo requests his services in Friuli; Montone joins him in Udine with his company of men-at-arms, 100 light horses, and 500 infantry. At the end of the month, he is recalled to the Verona area.
1512, Feb.			109 lances	Veneto	He guards the bridge of Valeggio sul Mincio with 200 lances and 600 infantry; forced to retreat due to the approach of Gaston de Foix to Isola della Scala, he has the pontoon bridge at Bonavigo on the Adige broken; the related boats are taken to Montagnana. Baglioni thus remains on the other bank with the rest of the troops. At Montagnana for the review of his company.
1512, May.				Veneto	At the review held in Vicenza in Campo Marzio, ten men-at-arms from his company are dismissed. He falls ill; the command of his men is assumed by Giovanni Battista da Fano.
1512, June			84 lances	Veneto	In Venice. He protests to Doge Leonardo Loredan about the numerous dismissals that have affected the ranks of his company. In the city, he appears in some religious ceremonies alongside the authorities; he returns to Vicenza.
1512, July				Piedmont and Lombardy	At the camp of Novi Ligure and at Casalmaggiore.
1512, Aug.				Lombardy	He crosses the Po with Giovanni dal Borgo, Pio, and Naldi, moves to the Brescia area at Sant’Eufemia alla Fonte; he conquers the castle after a brief bombardment.
1512, Oct.				Lombardy	He takes part in the siege of Brescia; he supports Baglioni in his parade in front of Torrelonga and the castle. The review is aimed at demonstrating to enemies and allies the strength of the Venetian army: he commands a squadron of 200 men-at-arms.
1512, Nov.			86 lances	Lombardy	At Rivoltella with his colonel: he falls from his horse and, luckily for him, gets away with a few scratches. In a war council with Baglioni, the decision is made to send the cavalry to winter quarters.
1513, Feb.				Veneto	He decides to retire from the profession of arms: 50 men-at-arms from his company are granted to his son Carlo by the Council of Savi, the others are transferred, instead, to Pio’s company: in exchange, he is assigned a provision of 600 ducats derived from the assets of some rebels and a palace, of his choice, in Padua or Treviso.
1513, May.				Veneto	Bartolomeo d’Alviano returns from his captivity in France. His actions at Agnadello are criticized.
1513, June	Venice	Spain		Veneto	He leaves Padua and goes to the defense of Vicenza, threatened by the Spanish. He assists the purveyor Niccolò Vendramin when the latter leaves the city to protect the construction of a pontoon bridge at Albaredo d’Adige to facilitate the retreat of Alviano, who is forced by circumstances to abandon Lombardy.
1513, July				Veneto	From Padua to Venice where he goes to the Collegio dei Pregadi. He is received by Doge Leonardo Loredan.
1513, Oct.				Veneto	He participates in the Battle of Creazzo. With the defeat, he moves to the defense of Treviso with Giampaolo Manfrone and Taddeo della Volpe.
1514, Jan.				Veneto	He leaves Treviso to go to Venice. He is dressed in mourning for the recent death in battle of his son Carlo.
1515, Feb.				Veneto	He is in charge of guarding one of Padua’s gates.
1515, Oct.				Veneto	In Venice, in the Collegio dei Pregadi. He asks Doge Loredan to be allowed to do his part in the siege of Brescia.
1515, Dec.					In a session of the Council of Savi, a possible command position for him in the Venetian army is discussed: his name is discarded due to his poor health.
1517, Aug.					In Venice. In the Collegio dei Pregadi to discuss his provision.
1518, May.				Veneto	He is called with Giampaolo Manfrone and Giovanni da Sassatello to be part of a commission to judge a dispute in Padua between the Venetians and the Benedictines of Santa Giustina for urban planning reasons.
1520, Nov.				Veneto	Instead of the annual provision of 600 ducats, he is given some real estate properties taken from the rebels, which should guarantee him an income of equal value.
1521, May.				Veneto	With Giano Fregoso, Malatesta Baglioni, Giulio Manfrone, and Teodoro da Trivulzio, he submits a project to the Council of Savi for improving the fortifications of Padua.
1523, Sept.				Veneto	He accepts a monthly provision of 50 ducats from the tax on grinding in Padua: in exchange, he renounces the rights to the assets belonging to Achille Borromeo that had been granted to him previously (a palace in Padua and land in Lizzano).
1527, Oct.				Veneto	He goes to Venice; he asks that his son Oddo be given the command of Manfrone, who died in the same days at the siege of Pavia: Doge Gritti receives him benevolently and his son is granted, although young and inexperienced, a command of 50 men-at-arms.
1529, Nov.				Veneto	His son Oddo dies and the command of his company is assigned to Pier Paolo Manfrone.
1531, May.				Veneto	He dies in Padua. Solemn funerals are celebrated for him; the coffin is followed by university students and city authorities. He is buried in the Church of the Eremitani. He commissions the Perugian painter Bartolomeo Caporali to create a fresco to complete the altar erected by his father Carlo in the church of San Francesco di Montone. The center of the scene is occupied by Saint Anthony of Padua, between the Baptist on the left and the archangel Raphael leading Tobias by the hand on the right. The Council of Ten will grant his widow an annual income of 300 ducats. He marries Pandolfina Baglioni and Aquilina Buonfio.

Sources

-“Dignissimo capetanio in Italia..Fidelissimo condutiere di San Marco.” SANUDO

-“E ben la detta signoria (di Venezia) avesse presso di sé degnie homine e signorie, avevano in questo e suoi fratelli gran fede e speranza, e era amato da la signoria più che alcun altro, per la gran fede quale regniava in lui.” MATARAZZO

-“Huomo valorosissimo.” BENEDETTI

.”Qui primus ex Italis antiquam militaris disciplinae gloriam instaurare coepit, et inter celeberrimos sui temporis duces numeratus fuit.” BEAUCAIRE

-“Capitano affermato e di provata lealtà.” MALLETT

-“Huomo valorosissimo.” ANGELI

-Con Ranuccio Farnese e Rodolfo Gonzaga “Valenti hoomini d’arme.” DIARIO FERRARESE

-“Che parea un leone.” Da “La guerra dei tedeschi contro i veneziani” in GUERRE IN OTTAVA RIMA

-“El conte bernardino da monton pregiato/ con doi fratelli carnai in compagnia/ ciaschun di loro ha la lancia pigliato/ per dar adosso a quella gente ria/ & ognun di loro si ha il contrare/ dicendo voi non passerete lombardia/ butando franciosi di molti pali e sassi/ ch’el par ch’el mondo e la terra frachassi.” Da “La storia del re di Francia” in GUERRE IN OTTAVA RIMA

-Alla battaglia di Fornovo “El conte bernardino a far contesi (contesa)/ Una forbita lanza mette in resta/ Et dove stretti più vede i francesi/ El campion s’abandona con tempesta./ Et tanti morti & feriti distesi/ Fu per sua mano in quel dì che molesta./ Parebbe forse cosa a ricontare/ Ma chi vi fu presente el può acertare.” Da “Guerre orrende d’Italia” in GUERRE IN OTTAVA RIMA

-“Il conte bernardino da Montone/ Di cicatrice pieno per san Marco.” CORDO

-“Visto rotto el conte Bernardino/ el campo tutto e in fuga li marcheschi,/ passò l’Adese al ponte lì vicino,/ e perché seguir nol possono i Franceschi/ tagliò el ponte, poi spaccò el camino/ lassando l’arthelarie e le baltreschi.” Da “La rotta e presa fatta a Bressa per Francesi, di Anonimo, riportato dal FRATI

-Assediato in Monte San Savino “Cum molta gente e pien de isdegno e duolo/ contra del duca (Federico da Montefeltro), poiché Monton tolse/ al patre suo, havendo quello non solo/ nido paterno, e questa impresa volse/ el giovin, per mostrar sua valentia/ e fede ai Fiorentin, che indi lo accolse.” SANTI

-All’assedio di Verona “Il conte Bernardin come un leone/ ben s’adoprava in la mortal battaglia/ facendo a questo, e a quel votar l’arcione,/ e li nemici scompiglia, e sbaraglia/ menando colpi con distrutione/ tal che non durava piastra, e maglia/ tanto era la sua forza oltra misura/ da portar a ciascudun paura.” DEGLI AGOSTINI

-“Esperto e valoroso capitano.” RIGHI

-“Amato e stimato dai suoi uomini come un ottimo soldato, è tuttavia difficile ritenerlo un grande capitano. L’unico episodio in cui il Fortebracci ebbe occasione di mettere in mostra le proprie capacità e il proprio senso tattico è legato all’avventura italiana di Carlo VIII, e in particolare alla ritirata dell’esercito francese e alla battaglia di Fornovo.” F. ROSSI

-“Non degenere dagli altri della sua famiglia, è noto, oltreché per molte imprese militari, per le quali salì in grande estimazione anche e soprattutto per aver preso parte alla battaglia di Fornovo, il 6 luglio 1495.” ARGEGNI