Siege of Corfu (1537)
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Corfu in 1537 was led by the Ottoman
Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent
, against the Republic of Venice
-held island of Corfu
. It is part of the Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–1540)
, one of the numerous Ottoman–Venetian Wars of the period.
and the Ottoman Empire
as part of the Franco-Ottoman alliance
, in which the Ottomans would attack southern Italy and Naples
under Barbarossa, and Francis I
would attack northern Italy with 50,000 men. Suleiman led an army of 300,000 from Constantinople to Albania
, with the objective of transporting them to Italy with the fleet. The Ottoman fleet gathered in Avlona
with 100 galleys, accompanied by the French ambassador Jean de La Forêt
. They landed in Castro, Apulia
by the end of July 1537, and departed two weeks later with many prisoners. Barbarossa had laid waste to the region around Otranto
, carrying about 10,000 people into slavery. Francis however failed to meet his commitment, and instead attacked the Netherlands
.
, in August 1537. Suleiman decided to leave Avlona for Corfu on 19 August 1537. The fleet, composed of about 320 ships, started bombarding Corfu on 26 August. Ottoman troops amounting to 25,000 men were landed on the island of Corfu.
At the siege, the Ottomans were met by the French Admiral Baron de Saint-Blancard, who had left Marseille
on 15 August with 12 galleys, and arrived at Corfu in early September 1537. Saint-Blancard in vain attempted to convince the Ottomans to again raid the coasts of Apulia
, Sicily
and the March of Ancona
. Eventually Suleiman, worried by a plague among his troops, decided to return with his fleet to Istambul by mid-September without having captured Corfu.
French ambassador Jean de La Forêt became seriously ill and died around that time. Francis I finally penetrated into Italy, and reached Rivoli
on 31 October 1537.
The fleet of Saint-Blancard wintered in Chios
until 17 February 1538. It was decided that three ships would go to Constantinople, while the rest of the fleet returned to France. In Constantinople, they were received by the French ambassador Charles de Marillac
. Hayreddin Barbarossa provided for the expenses, and the French galleys finally left on 11 April 1538 to return to Nice
through Monastir
.
A consequence of the siege was that the Venetians decided to form an alliance with the Pope and the Habsburg against the Ottomans. On 18 June 1538, Francis I
signed the Truce of Nice with Charles V
, thereby temporarily abandoning the Franco-Ottoman alliance
.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
, against the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
-held island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. It is part of the Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–1540)
Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–1540)
The Ottoman–Venetian War of 1537–1540 was one of the numerous Ottoman–Venetian Wars of the period. The Ottoman Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent had been angered by a treaty signed between the Republic of Venice and the Habsburg Empire of Charles V...
, one of the numerous Ottoman–Venetian Wars of the period.
Avlona expedition
For 1537 important combined operations had been agreed upon between FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
as part of the Franco-Ottoman alliance
Franco-Ottoman alliance
The Franco-Ottoman alliance, also Franco-Turkish alliance, was an alliance established in 1536 between the king of France Francis I and the Turkish ruler of the Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent. The alliance has been called "the first non-ideological diplomatic alliance of its kind between a...
, in which the Ottomans would attack southern Italy and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
under Barbarossa, and Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
would attack northern Italy with 50,000 men. Suleiman led an army of 300,000 from Constantinople to Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, with the objective of transporting them to Italy with the fleet. The Ottoman fleet gathered in Avlona
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
with 100 galleys, accompanied by the French ambassador Jean de La Forêt
Jean de La Forêt
Jean de La Forêt, also Jean de La Forest or Jehan de la Forest was the first official French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, serving from 1534 to 1537. Antonio Rincon had preceded him as an envoy to the Ottoman Empire from 1530 to 1533...
. They landed in Castro, Apulia
Castro (LE)
Castro is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-eastern Italy.-History:Castro derives its name from Castrum Minervae , which was an ancient town of the Sallentini, c. 15 km south of Hydruntum...
by the end of July 1537, and departed two weeks later with many prisoners. Barbarossa had laid waste to the region around Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
, carrying about 10,000 people into slavery. Francis however failed to meet his commitment, and instead attacked the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Siege
The Ottomans departed from Southern Italy, and instead diverted their forces to mount the Siege of Corfu, a possession of the Republic of VeniceRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, in August 1537. Suleiman decided to leave Avlona for Corfu on 19 August 1537. The fleet, composed of about 320 ships, started bombarding Corfu on 26 August. Ottoman troops amounting to 25,000 men were landed on the island of Corfu.
At the siege, the Ottomans were met by the French Admiral Baron de Saint-Blancard, who had left Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
on 15 August with 12 galleys, and arrived at Corfu in early September 1537. Saint-Blancard in vain attempted to convince the Ottomans to again raid the coasts of Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and the March of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
. Eventually Suleiman, worried by a plague among his troops, decided to return with his fleet to Istambul by mid-September without having captured Corfu.
French ambassador Jean de La Forêt became seriously ill and died around that time. Francis I finally penetrated into Italy, and reached Rivoli
Rivoli (Italy)
Rivoli , is a comune established around the 1st century CE, in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 14 km west of Turin...
on 31 October 1537.
The fleet of Saint-Blancard wintered in Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
until 17 February 1538. It was decided that three ships would go to Constantinople, while the rest of the fleet returned to France. In Constantinople, they were received by the French ambassador Charles de Marillac
Charles de Marillac
Charles de Marillac was a French prelate and diplomat.-Career:De Marillac was, by the age of twenty-two, an advocate in parliament in Paris...
. Hayreddin Barbarossa provided for the expenses, and the French galleys finally left on 11 April 1538 to return to Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
through Monastir
Monastir, Tunisia
-Areas within Monastir:Monastir's north-eastern territories lead into a place called Route de la Falaise, through which you will reach its most notable suburb, Skanes, which is 6 miles from Monastir's town centre...
.
A consequence of the siege was that the Venetians decided to form an alliance with the Pope and the Habsburg against the Ottomans. On 18 June 1538, Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
signed the Truce of Nice with Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, thereby temporarily abandoning the Franco-Ottoman alliance
Franco-Ottoman alliance
The Franco-Ottoman alliance, also Franco-Turkish alliance, was an alliance established in 1536 between the king of France Francis I and the Turkish ruler of the Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent. The alliance has been called "the first non-ideological diplomatic alliance of its kind between a...
.