THIRD EXPEDITION OF KHAIR-AD-DIN PASHA.
The winter season being nearly over, Sultan Soleiman gave orders to his veziers to equip a hundred and fifty vessels, and to send Khair-ad-din to sea. Accordingly, although the ships were not ready, the veziers pressed Khair-ad-din to sail; and he not consenting, they had recourse to stratagem, saying that Andrea Doria had gone with forty vessels to Candia, where he was waiting to intercept Saleh Reis, who with twenty vessels had gone to bring the Indian merchandise from Egypt. Khair-ad-din therefore with the forty ships that were in readiness (the other ninety being ordered to follow) sailed on the ninth of Moharrem, 945, (June 8th, 1538,) accompanied by three thousand janissaries; and Ali Beg, the beg of Kogi-eili, Khorrem Beg, the beg of Tekké, Ali Beg, the beg of Seida, and Mustaffa Beg, the beg of Alanieh, having joined him, they proceeded to Imbro, where some time previously a vessel containing seventeen pieces of cannon had been wrecked, and having possessed themselves of these, they sailed to an island called Ishkatos (Skiathos), which had a strong castle and harbour. In consequence of the complaint of the governor of Negropont that the pirates were in the habit of lying there and carrying on their depredations in the vicinity, they conveyed their artillery from a distance of seven miles, and blockaded the castle for six days and nights, taking it by assault on the seventh day. A great number of the infidels were slain, and three thousand eight hundred taken prisoners.
The ninety vessels from Constantinople, and Saleh Reis, with the twenty under his command, had now arrived; so that, according to the royal command, the fleet now consisted of a hundred and fifty vessels; but the equipment and manning of the ninety from the Porte not being quite complete, Khair-ad-din emptied and sent back twelve of them to Gallipoli; the rest he despatched to the Negropont. The fleet then touched at Eskeri (Skyro), which they left the same night. In the forenoon of the following day, which was very foggy, they met seventy of the Mediterranean pirate boats which had but the day before attempted in vain to take Skyro. On the approach of Khair-ad-din, however, the infidels of the castle surrendered, crying for quarter; and he accordingly spared them, on the condition that they should pay an annual sum of one thousand pieces of gold. At this place he remained a short time, and oiled his vessels. With the plunder he took he filled seven vessels, and sent them to Constantinople. Two cannoniers had been sent from Candia to Skyro; but not arriving till the afternoon, when the castle had surrendered, they were seized and brought before the pasha, who having obtained from them the information he needed respecting the enemy’s movements, divided his fleet into seven squadrons, which he sent in different directions,—one cruising about the islands to levy the tribute. He then sailed to Istandil (Tino), the governor of which was a Frank, and the people Greeks. These immediately surrendered, and the pasha agreed to molest them no further if they would deliver up their chiefs, which they accordingly did. He then appointed one of the principal inhabitants governor, and stipulated for an annual tribute of five thousand pieces of gold. He next sailed to Andro, the people of which also submitted. On this and a neighbouring island he imposed an annual tribute of one thousand pieces of gold. From Andro the squadron proceeded to Naxia, and received the tribute from that island, the inhabitants firing a salute. In the afternoon of the third day from this time, as they were sailing to Candia, they perceived before them a huge barge, which seemed like a black mountain rising out of the sea. They immediately bore down upon her; but she received their fire for a considerable time without striking her colours. At length, however, she was weakened by several balls striking her prow, when the Capudan Ibrahim went in and took her in tow. On the fifteenth of Seffer the fleet arrived at Candia, first touching at the castle of Miloietimo, where they landed their men. They then plundered twenty of the neighbouring villages, which had been abandoned by the infidels, and proceeding thence to Bakorna, took the natives prisoners, and plundered sixty of the adjacent villages. On the 17th they sailed towards a very strong castle called Khania (Canea), and as the infidels had fled into the fortress, took in a supply of water, and made preparations to attack it. But several of the more experienced capudans were of opinion that to attack this castle would be a most difficult matter; because, being on the side next the sea strongly fortified, and on the land side protected by a wall of three miles in extent, besides being well stored with arms and ammunition, and strongly garrisoned, to effect its reduction would require an armament of no ordinary strength. For these reasons they desisted from their attack, but fired the houses on the outside, demolished all the strong buildings in the neighbourhood, and in the course of three days plundered three hundred villages. They then came upon Menolilo and Retimo, the villages of which they plundered. Thence they went to Ista (Setia), where the inhabitants seemed disposed to resist: but finding themselves unable to hold out, speedily took to flight. Most of them were taken prisoners, and the rest were devoured by the sword. Two castles, called Isklaria and Istilo, were next reduced, and eighty villages in their neighbourhood plundered. In one short week the whole of Candia was overrun and pillaged. More than fifteen thousand prisoners were taken, of whom a few were sent in barges to Constantinople. The fleet afterwards proceeded to the island of Kirpé, which had three forts. Here they remained ten days, during which they took all the three, and laid them under tribute.
The heat at this time became very oppressive, and hot winds like the Sam[40] beginning to blow, and the sailors suffering much, the fleet went over to the island of Ilki (Piscopia), where they rested for some time. Sailing thence to Stanko, they broke up the levend frigates, and manned the galleys with the sailors they found on board. Besides these, they also took in a great number of infidel sailors from the islands and the Anatolian coasts. They then reduced an island called Stanpalia, which the pasha left to be plundered by the volunteer ships. This year the Venetians possessed twenty-five islands, each having one, two, or three castles; all of which were taken; twelve of the islands being laid under tribute, and the remaining thirteen plundered.
After this the fleet sailed towards Roumelia, and having broken up the heavy sailing vessels at Kuzil Hissar, put into the harbour of Negropont. They then took over the light sailing vessels by night to Kara-Ata, where they oiled their sides, and returned to Negropont to take in provisions. At this time Saleh Reis, who was a most valiant commander, arrived at Negropont with thirty vessels; on which occasion numerous salutes were fired.