Cesare Montalbano, son
Teresa, second wife
Emilia, Stella, and Marta, daughters
Antonio and Arsenio, twin sons
Paolo Montalbano is the Stravagante for Remora and the Horsemaster of the Twelfth of the Ram. His eldest son, Cesare, is the jockey of the Ram.
Overview[]
Described as a burly grey-haired man, Paolo resides in Remora with his family in the Twelfth of the Ram. Cesare is the only member of Paolo's family left from his first marriage, which ended when Paolo's first wife died. With his second wife, Teresa, he has five children: three girls and twin boys.[4] Their family life is shown to be genuinely loving and happy, which has a profound affect on Georgia O'Grady, who is deeply unhappy with her own family situation.
During his introduction, Paolo and Cesare witness the birth of a winged horse in their stables, which Paolo names Merla. The filly is regarded as a highly auspicious omen for the Ram in the upcoming Stellata, along the fact that Paolo's son Cesare is the new jockey for the Twelfth as Paolo was the last jockey to win a Stellata for the Ram. The Ram's hopes of winning the Stellata are intensified by the impending arrival of the new Duchessa of Bellezza coming to Remora to witness the race at the request of the di Chimici family, who believe that the Ram's loss with encourage her to side with them. To this end, Paolo welcomes the arrival of his own master, Guglielmo Crinamorte, and the doctor's foster son, Luciano Crinamorte, as guests in his home.
When it appears that the Ram's luck is beginning to change, Georgia arrives in Remora and Paolo serves as her mentor. Though he does his best to guide her, he is preoccupied with the race and does not realize how Georgia and Luciano's friendship with Gataeno and Falco di Chimici have led to a risky plan to permanently translate Falco to England to cure him of an injury. Furthermore, Paolo is horrified to find that Cesare has been kidnapped shortly before the Stellata and is forced to find a replacement jockey: Georgia. However, the Ram's luck returns all at once on the day of the race - Georgia wins for the Ram and Cesare returns with Merla, who had also been abducted.
As a thank you gift and a means of comforting Georgia after she is sternly reprimanded by Rodolfo Rossi for translating Falco, Paolo allows her to ride Merla. Paolo later welcomes Georgia back to Remora during the special Stellata in honour of Falco di Chimici.
Paolo's role in subsequent books in relatively small. He remains in Remora, where he offers Merla as a means for Georgia to go to Giglia during City of Flowers, and also welcoming Isabel Evans to the city when she stravagates to Remora for the first time. Because Cesare has gone to study in the university in Padavia, Paolo's workload has increased somewhat though he does not feel too heavily burdened[5].
Notes and References[]
- ↑ Clarified here
Mary Hoffman: Their surname is Montalbano but in the plural they are referred to as "the Montalbani". - ↑ City of Stars, based on his age in 1578
- ↑ In 1580; In 1578 (City of Stars), Paolo is 40-years-old
...he had only been fifteen years old when he had ridden to victory for the Ram twenty-five years ago. - ↑ City of Stars
- ↑ City of Ships
| The Talian Stravaganti Rodolfo Rossi · Guglielmo Crinamorte · Luciano Crinamorte · Paolo Montalbano · Falco di Chimici · Brother Sulien · Giuditta Miele · Professor Constantin · Flavia · Fabio della Spada · Giovanni · Fulvia · Germano · Corrado · Aurora · Ranieri | |||
| The English Stravaganti William Dethridge · Lucien Mullholland · Georgia O'Grady · Nick Duke · Sky Meadows · Matt Wood · Isabel Evans · Laura Reid · Ross · Julia · Sean · Emily · Rory · Caitlin |