Read Online The Sultan's Admiral by Ernle Bradford - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ernle Bradford
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Genoa, in any case, was at this time under French domination. Both Louis XII of France and his heir presumptive, the future Francis I, were very little disturbed at finding that their Spanish enemies were harassed by the Moslems. On the contrary, anything that weakened Spain was to the benefit of France. But that the trade of Genoa should now become a prey to these Barbary corsairs was another matter altogether.
Although Genoa had never really recovered from the blow in 1380 when her fleet under Admiral Luciano Doria had been destroyed in the Venetian lagoons, she was still the second naval power in the Mediterranean. The Venetians might have the largest European shipping fleet in the eastern Mediterranean and the Levant, but Genoa still commanded most of the western trade. It was not for nothing that the city was known as “Genoa the
Superb.” Her senate was immediately determined that these sea raiders from North Africa should be taught to discriminate between Genoese shipping and that of other Mediterranean countries.
They had to their hand an efficient instrument, if one may call an instrument a man who was as haughty as Genoa itself—and a great deal more independent. This was the distinguished condottiere and soldier of fortune Andrea Doria. He was a descendant of the luckless Luciano, but considerably more able and talented. Born in 1468, he had been early left an orphan and had taken to the profession of arms—the only one suitable for his ancestry and his impecuniosity—before he was twenty. By 1512 he was a mature sea captain of forty-four and an experienced commander of land forces (the two professions being largely indistinguishable at that period). Summoned before the senate, Andrea Doria was ordered to take twelve galleys of the Republic and extirpate the nest of pirates that was lodged in the Goletta?. of Tunis.
It was late in the year, and there seems little doubt that the Turks were taken totally by surprise when the Genoese squadron of large galleys lifted over the horizon and darted straight for the harbour. Aruj was still too weak from his wound to be able to take any part, so the leadership fell upon Khizr. It was his first encounter with Andrea Doria. The Turkish ships were all inside the harbour when the Genoese anchored offshore and landed a large body of troops. Khizr did the best that he could, sank six of his galleots in the harbour to prevent the enemy from seizing them and towing them away, and sallied out with the remaining six to give battle.
But a galleot, however efficient, was no match for a large galley, manned by disciplined troops and equipped with heavy cannon. Khizr and his men were routed. They beached their ships, and took to their heels inland. Andrea Doria’s triumph was complete. His troops landed en masse, drove the Turks back within the walls of Tunis, captured the fort guarding the Goletta and razed it to the ground. They then took the six galleots that had been abandoned, as well as the one captured from them by Khizr, and towed them back in triumph to Genoa. They had inflicted a severe defeat upon “these insolent Moslem pirates.” They had, as far as they could see, seized all their ships, and had undoubtedly taught them a lesson—not to interfere with Genoese shipping in the future. Andrea Doria was hailed as a hero of his country and in the following year, 1513, was rewarded by being made Commander of the Galleys of Genoa.
Aruj fumed in impotent fury: half the ships lost, the fortress destroyed, their one prize of the year recaptured, and the Sultan of Tunis beginning to get apprehensive about his policy of permitting the Barbarossas to make use of his port and territory. But there was nothing Aruj could do until his wound was healed, and it was over a year before he was sufficiently recovered to take the warpath again. Khizr, meanwhile, sensing not only the temper of his brother but also that of the Sultan, wisely withdrew to Djerba. He raised the sunken
Although Genoa had never really recovered from the blow in 1380 when her fleet under Admiral Luciano Doria had been destroyed in the Venetian lagoons, she was still the second naval power in the Mediterranean. The Venetians might have the largest European shipping fleet in the eastern Mediterranean and the Levant, but Genoa still commanded most of the western trade. It was not for nothing that the city was known as “Genoa the
Superb.” Her senate was immediately determined that these sea raiders from North Africa should be taught to discriminate between Genoese shipping and that of other Mediterranean countries.
They had to their hand an efficient instrument, if one may call an instrument a man who was as haughty as Genoa itself—and a great deal more independent. This was the distinguished condottiere and soldier of fortune Andrea Doria. He was a descendant of the luckless Luciano, but considerably more able and talented. Born in 1468, he had been early left an orphan and had taken to the profession of arms—the only one suitable for his ancestry and his impecuniosity—before he was twenty. By 1512 he was a mature sea captain of forty-four and an experienced commander of land forces (the two professions being largely indistinguishable at that period). Summoned before the senate, Andrea Doria was ordered to take twelve galleys of the Republic and extirpate the nest of pirates that was lodged in the Goletta?. of Tunis.
It was late in the year, and there seems little doubt that the Turks were taken totally by surprise when the Genoese squadron of large galleys lifted over the horizon and darted straight for the harbour. Aruj was still too weak from his wound to be able to take any part, so the leadership fell upon Khizr. It was his first encounter with Andrea Doria. The Turkish ships were all inside the harbour when the Genoese anchored offshore and landed a large body of troops. Khizr did the best that he could, sank six of his galleots in the harbour to prevent the enemy from seizing them and towing them away, and sallied out with the remaining six to give battle.
But a galleot, however efficient, was no match for a large galley, manned by disciplined troops and equipped with heavy cannon. Khizr and his men were routed. They beached their ships, and took to their heels inland. Andrea Doria’s triumph was complete. His troops landed en masse, drove the Turks back within the walls of Tunis, captured the fort guarding the Goletta and razed it to the ground. They then took the six galleots that had been abandoned, as well as the one captured from them by Khizr, and towed them back in triumph to Genoa. They had inflicted a severe defeat upon “these insolent Moslem pirates.” They had, as far as they could see, seized all their ships, and had undoubtedly taught them a lesson—not to interfere with Genoese shipping in the future. Andrea Doria was hailed as a hero of his country and in the following year, 1513, was rewarded by being made Commander of the Galleys of Genoa.
Aruj fumed in impotent fury: half the ships lost, the fortress destroyed, their one prize of the year recaptured, and the Sultan of Tunis beginning to get apprehensive about his policy of permitting the Barbarossas to make use of his port and territory. But there was nothing Aruj could do until his wound was healed, and it was over a year before he was sufficiently recovered to take the warpath again. Khizr, meanwhile, sensing not only the temper of his brother but also that of the Sultan, wisely withdrew to Djerba. He raised the sunken
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