EXPEDITION OF KHAIR-AD-DIN TO CASTEL NOVO.
The recovery of Castel Novo, which some time before had fallen into the hands of the infidels, being considered a matter of importance both to religion and the state, on the return of spring Khosrow Pasha, the begler-beg of Roumelia, who had remained at Sophia, was sent thither by land. Khair-ad-din also, on the eighth of Rabi-al-akher, sailed with one hundred and fifty vessels, and with thirty-seven pieces of cannon besieged the fortress. After a discharge of eight thousand two hundred shots, on the twenty-second day the walls of one of the fortresses were reduced and the fortress itself taken. Novo had two large fortresses; they therefore proceeded to the other one, which they also took by assault, making the infidels prisoners. The pasha then rebuilt the castle, and placed twenty-six pieces of cannon in it. He then sent his troops to plunder the country of the infidels, and returned to Constantinople with immense riches.
ATTACK OF THE KING OF SPAIN UPON ALGIERS, &C.
In the year 948 (A.D. 1541) the emperor went with his army on an expedition into Hungary, and sent Khair-ad-din at the same time with seventy galleys to guard the Mediterranean. At this time too, the king of Spain, in order to assist the emperor Ferdinand, and to plunder the Moslem territories, sailed with his fleet towards the Venetian coasts. When he heard that Khair-ad-din was at sea, ashamed to return to his own country, he proceeded to Algiers. For some time previous to this Khadem Hassan Agha, to whose care the pasha had confided Algiers, having equipped thirty galleys and golettas, had been carrying on a system of plunder on the Spanish coasts. The king of Spain therefore embarked troops to the number of fifty thousand, four thousand of which were cavalry, on board a hundred galleys, and sailed for Algiers, where he arrived on the twenty-eighth day of Jemazi II., A.H. 948. Hassan thereupon immediately held a divan, and encouraged his men. Meantime the infidels had pitched their camp, and were attempting a trench, when Hassan Beg, with six hundred Turkish and two thousand Arab horsemen, sallied out and attacked them by night. In the confusion which ensued and the darkness of the night the infidels fell upon each other, and three thousand of them were killed; and the warriors returned in safety to the castle. By the decree of God, on the fifth day there was a violent storm of wind and rain, which drove most of the enemys heavy barges ashore, and sunk several; their ammunition too was wet, and their cannon and musketry unfit for service. Hassan Beg therefore made an attack upon them, and after a hot engagement of two hours, returned to the castle. In this storm a hundred and six of the infidels ships were driven ashore, and four galleys into the harbour. In these were one thousand four hundred Moslem prisoners, who were immediately liberated. The infidels, mortified and disappointed, now retired and assembled at a cape called Tementos, whence they set out on their return to their own country. They were pursued by the Moslems, who slew great numbers of them: whilst the Algerines, observing the violence of the stream of dissension which was strongly agitated among them, plunged into it, and sunk or destroyed many of their ships. Those who escaped embarked on board the remaining vessels, and on the 26th of Rajab again put out to sea, but were again overtaken by a storm, which drove them to Bajaiah, and at length with great difficulty made their way to Spain. Not long after this memorable defeat by the storm, which is recorded in the Spanish histories, Charles V. entered a monastery and became a recluse; and his kingdom passed to his son.