Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean: The grand period of the Moslem corsairsCurrey, E. Hamilton (Edward Hamilton)
History
Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean: The grand period of the Moslem corsairs
Currey, E. Hamilton (Edward Hamilton)
Africa, North -- History; Pirates
Meanwhile, in Christendom their great enemy was maturing his plans.
To the Marquis de Cañete, Viceroy and Captain-General of the Kingdom
of Navarre, Charles wrote, confiding to his care the charge of
the Empress, with instructions that her orders were to be implicitly
obeyed during his absence. Having done this he journeyed to Barcelona,
at which city he arrived on April 8th, 1535. Here he was immediately
joined by the armada of Portugal—twenty caravelas raised, armed, and
paid for by the King, Don Juan of Portugal. This fleet was commanded by
the Infante Don Luis, brother to the Empress, and carried on board the
vessels of which it was composed a whole host of nobles and gentlemen
of quality, who had come to fight under the approving eyes of the Cæsar
of the modern world.
On May 1st came Andrea Doria with twenty-two galleys, and those already
in the harbour crowded the sides of their vessels to watch the arrival
of the famous Genoese seaman.
Four abreast in stately procession the great galleys swept into
the harbour. With that love of “spectacle” so inherent in the
southern nature, everything was done to ensure the military pomp and
circumstance of the coming of the first sea-commander of the Emperor.
At first with furious haste, and then slowing down to make the approach
more stately, the fleet of Andrea moved on. From mast and yard and
jackstaff of the galleys of the admiral floated twenty-four great
banners of silk and gold embroidered with the arms of the Emperor,
with those of Spain, of Genoa, and of the Dorias, Princes of Oneglia.
The principal standard bore upon it a crucifix, broidered at the sides
with pictures of Saint John and the Virgin Mary; another represented
the Virgin with her Son in her arms. With the sound of trumpets,
clarions, chirimias, and atambours the fleet moved to within a short
distance of the Portuguese and saluted them; then, as the thunder of
the guns ceased and the light wind blew away the smoke, they circled
round and stopped abreast of the royal vessel on which Charles had
embarked. Once again the guns barked a royal salute, while knights and
nobles, seamen and soldiers hailed their Emperor with frenzied shouts
of “Imperio! Imperio!”
Then Andrea Doria stepped into his boat and was rowed across the
shining water to visit the Emperor, who received him, we are told,
“with great honour and many tokens of love.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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