The Battle of Formentara occurred on 28 October 1529 when an Ottoman fleet under Aydin Reis routed a small Spanish fleet of eight galleys off the island of Formentera near Ibiza.[1][2]

Battle of Formentera (1529)

Barbarossa galley in France 1543.
Date1529
Location
Result Algerian victory
Belligerents
Spain Spanish Empire Regency of Algiers
Commanders and leaders
Rodrigo Portuondo  Aydin Reis
Strength
8 galleys Unknown
Casualties and losses
7 galleys captured and remaining soldiers enslaved. 1,000 Muslim galley slaves freed. Unknown

Habsburg emperor Charles V had sent a small Spanish fleet of eight galleys under the Spanish commander of the Castilla fleet, Rodrigo Portuondo [es], to eliminate Barbary ships from Algiers under Caccia Diavolo which were raiding the coast of Valencia and ferrying Moriscos from Spain to Algeria.[3]

Portuondo was killed in the battle, seven of his eight galleys were captured, and his soldiers were taken as slaves to the recently conquered city of Algiers,[2] and 1000 Muslim galley slaves had been liberated.[4]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Pillaging the empire: piracy in the Americas, 1500-1750 by Kris E. Lane p.15 [1]
  2. ^ a b Garnier, p.27
  3. ^ Garnier, p.26
  4. ^ Rogerson, Barnaby, The last crusaders: the hundred-year battle for the centre of the world, p. 285 [2]

References edit

  • Garnier, Edith L'Alliance Impie Editions du Felin, 2008, Paris ISBN 978-2-86645-678-8 Interview

38°42′N 1°27′E / 38.700°N 1.450°E / 38.700; 1.450