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Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

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In 1541, Charles V headed an Armada of 516 galleys and galleots, the<br />

largest armament ever amassed that far, which sailed hoist<strong>in</strong>g the banner of a<br />

crucified Christ. This armada was mounted <strong>with</strong> about 40,000 troops who<br />

sailed seek<strong>in</strong>g glory, martyrdom, absolution, and <strong>in</strong>dulgence. 53<br />

Thousands<br />

more were civilians who jo<strong>in</strong>ed the chorus <strong>with</strong> the prospect of settlement after<br />

Algiers would be conquered; they brought <strong>with</strong> them women and children,<br />

furniture and meager belong<strong>in</strong>gs, along <strong>with</strong> a worldly misery and belief <strong>in</strong> a<br />

providential dest<strong>in</strong>y th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g that they would be the happy settlers of that new<br />

land. The Armada, however, was met <strong>with</strong> a div<strong>in</strong>e storm which smashed it to<br />

pieces. Those who escaped the storm had to meet the wrath of the Muslim<br />

population; very few survived. It is said that Algiers constituted an arsenal<br />

from the booty of that expedition. 54 Undeniably, Isabella’s political program<br />

and crusad<strong>in</strong>g legacy proved to be efficient and long last<strong>in</strong>g. K<strong>in</strong>g Charles V,<br />

Card<strong>in</strong>al Ximenez, or bloodthirsty conquistadors like Navarro—to cite a few of<br />

the most he<strong>in</strong>ous crusaders—were but the precursors of centuries-long<br />

crusad<strong>in</strong>g expeditions as summarized <strong>in</strong> Table 1 (Spanish Expeditions aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />

Algiers, 1505-1784). This left the <strong>in</strong>habitants of Algiers but one alternative: to<br />

fight for their lives and faith or they would be deemed for exterm<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> the<br />

same way as was done <strong>with</strong> the native tribes <strong>in</strong> the New World. 55<br />

53 For detailed statistics, see Rang, Régence d’Alger, pp. 253-58.<br />

54 For description of this crusade see Grammont, Histoire d’Alger, pp. 58-69; Rang, Régence d’Alger,<br />

pp. 241-333; Tassy, Royaume d’Alger, pp. 42-8.<br />

55 Cortez participated <strong>in</strong> the expedition of 1541 aga<strong>in</strong>st Algiers <strong>with</strong> the hope of meet<strong>in</strong>g the same<br />

‘successes’ as <strong>in</strong> the New World. As the expedition ended <strong>in</strong> complete disaster, Cortez lost his<br />

rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g fortune, a gold-filled galleot he had brought from Mexico. Grammont, Histoire d’Alger, pp.<br />

62-3; Rang, Régence d’Alger, p. 258.<br />

35

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