Bellarion the Fortunate

Bellarion the Fortunate is a book by Rafael Sabatini, first published in 1926. Set at the beginning of the 15th century in northern Italy, Bellarion's journey begins in an abbey where he was abandoned as a child. As he sets off for studies in Pavia as a young man, his troubles and adventures begin. Mistaken identities and a chance encounter with Princess Valeria lead to tangled alliances and dangerous secrets. Bellarion uncovers a plot against Valeria's family and faces accusations that land him in court. His path twists through Milan's intrigue and he has a brush with the despotic Duke of Milan before finding a place as a loyal mercenary captain, deeply entwined in Valeria's struggles for power. Most of the characters in Bellarion the Fortunate, including Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Gian Maria Visconti, Facino Cane, Filippo Maria Visconti, and Francesco Bussone da Carmagnola, were real historical figures.

This book has 141,527 words, and was originally published in 1926.