''Bravi'' (sing. ''bravo''; sometimes translated as ‘bravoes’) were a species of coarse soldiery or hired assassins employed by the rural lordlings (or

don Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vill ...

s) of northern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to protect their interests. The word derives, probably, from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''pravus'' (bad, wicked, evil) via the Spanish ''bravo'', in the sense of violent, aggressive, savage, and impulsive. Their fame—and their reputation as frightening and domineering bullies—rests in part on their striking presence in Alessandro Manzoni’s historical novel '' The Betrothed'' (1827), which became one of the best-known Italian works of fiction of the nineteenth century and which opens with an extended description of the phenomenon. They were not, however, a fictional invention: his research into local history enabled Manzoni to ascertain from the dates of publication of various proclamations against the ''bravi'' that they had been present in Italy from at least 1583 and until at least 1632.

The ''bravi'' of ''The Betrothed''

The ''bravi'' retained by Don Rodrigo include Grignapoco, Griso, Montanarolo, Sfregiato, Squinternotto, Tanabuso and Tira-dritto. It is not clear whether Biondino and Carlotto are armed or unarmed retainers. Nibbio, who works for l'Innominato, has a multitude of ''bravi'' under his command but, like his master, they are nameless.

References

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Notes

:''This article originated in part as a translation of its counterpart in the Italian Wikipedia.'' Social history of Italy 16th century in Italy 17th century in Italy