Oddo Fortebracci - MontoneIn

The son of Andrea, known as Braccio di Montone, Oddo Fortebracci was born in Città di Castello on 15 February 1410 as the result of an extramarital affair. With a brief from Giovanni XXIII dated 28 August 1414, and together with his father and uncle Giovanni, he was appointed Count of Montone, the family’s town of origin, where the castle occupied by Braccio on 27 July 1413 was located. In official documents, he is also referred to as Count of Rocca Contrada (now Arcevia), which was owned by his father in Le Marche. In March 1418, his sponsalia de future, or betrothal, to Elisabetta di (daughter of) Niccolò Trinci, lord of Foligno, was celebrated, after which Trevi passed from Braccio’s rule to that of the Trinci family. In the same year, together with his father, he received citizenship of Florence.

In August 1423, Oddo Fortebracci who had followed his father on the expedition against L’Aquila, returned to Umbria; on 23 August, Braccio formally delegated the administration of Perugia to him, probably relying on the assiduous assistance of Bindaccio Ricasoli.

On 24 March 1424, due to the plague that was beginning to spread in Perugia, Fortebracci moved to Foligno and then to Spello. In April, news of Iacopo Caldora’s defection from Braccio to Queen Joanna II of Naples, and the renewed boldness of Braccio’s opponents forced him to reorganise the Umbrian fortresses. On 7 May, he sent fifty Perugians to Città di Castello, which had risen up and sent him fourteen of its citizens as hostages on the 11th. During the same period, exiles from Perugia, Spello and Spoleto attempted to conquer Cesi, leaving 10 dead and 30 prisoners. Fortebracci punished the leaders severely, and rewarded his loyal followers such as the della Penna family to whom he gave the Rocca di Strozzacapone. This had been taken from Andrea di Berarduccio, who had been declared a rebel.

Braccio had been wounded and captured in the battle near L’Aquila, and contradictory reports of his death began to spread throughout Perugia on 4 June, one day before his actual death. On 6 June, Fortebracci rushed from Spello to Perugia where the lieutenant of Città di Castello showed him letters confirming his father’s death. Fortebracci immediately convened a council in his palace, which decided to entrust him with the regency of Perugia until his half-brother Carlo (the legitimate heir) was able to assume control. On 9 June, one of the Baglioni family arrived in the city, having been captured by Papal forces near L’Aquila and released without ransom by Martin V, to persuade the nobles to agree to return Perugia to the direct rule of the Holy See. The Pope declared himself willing to maintain the ban on the raspanti (commoners) removed from Braccio, to grant the municipality special privileges and to suspend military operations already underway. (Source: Treccani)

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