Battle of Formentera explained

Conflict:Battle of Formentera (1529)
Date:1529
Place:Formentera
Result:Algerian victory
Combatant1: Spanish Empire
Combatant2: Regency of Algiers
Commander1:Rodrigo Portuondo
Commander2:Aydin Reis
Strength1:8 galleys
Strength2:Unknown
Casualties1:7 galleys captured and remaining soldiers enslaved. 1,000 Muslim galley slaves freed.
Casualties2:Unknown

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]

Habsburg emperor Charles V had sent a small Spanish fleet of eight galleys under the Spanish commander of the Castilla fleet,, 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, and 1000 Muslim galley slaves had been liberated.[4]

References

38.7°N 28°W

Notes and References

  1. Pillaging the empire: piracy in the Americas, 1500-1750 by Kris E. Lane p.15 https://books.google.com/books?id=bRgFqADzOLkC&pg=PA15
  2. 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 https://archive.org/details/lastcrusadershun0000roge/page/285/mode/1up