Who is Gian de Brughi from The Baron in the Trees?

Gian de Brughi is a famous thief. The mere mention of his name leads people to hand over their valuable without question. Thus, many thieves are known to drop his name to make things easier, portraying themselves as Gian. When Gian is discovered by the authorities, they attempt to apprehend him, but Cosimo is quicker than they are, and pulls Gian into the trees. The two men become great friends, sharing their love of stories and reading until the end.