It was shortly after the death of his brother Uruj that the storm arose which bade fair to sweep, not only Kheyr-ed-Din but all the corsairs of the North African coast, clean out of their strongholds, for the Emperor Charles V., at this time young, eager, and enthusiastic, gave orders for their destruction. These robbers troubled the peace of Europe; they did more than this, they insulted the Majesty of the Emperor, and Charles regarded their perpetual incursions in the light of an affront to his personal dignity. The divinity which hedged such a monarch as the grandson of “Los Reyes Cathòlicos,” Ferdinand and Isabella, was a very real thing, and, if offended, was likely to find concrete expression in the most vigorous form. Charles, much annoyed at the necessity for chastising a band of robbers, determined that he would make an end of them once and for all. To Don Hugo de Moncada, the Viceroy of Sicily, to Don Perisan de Ribera at Bougie, to the Marquis de Comares at Oran, orders were sent to prepare their forces for an attack on Algiers.
There was no lack of good-will on the part of the Christian princes, nobles, and governors. The Spanish veterans in Sicily were rusting for want of employment, the levies on the African littoral welcomed anything in the way of war as a distraction from the deadly monotony of their lives. The soldier in these days who rested too long upon his arms became in time practically useless for the purpose for which he existed; but such rulers as Charles V. gave their fighting men but small cause of complaint in the matter of want of employment. The Pope sent his blessing and a contingent, and, to show how serious was the purpose of the Emperor, who took the command in person, let us set forth the total of the expedition which was to utterly destroy and root out the corsairs and their leader:
| FLEET. | SAILING SHIP TRANSPORT. | ||
| Galleys of the Pope | 4 | The Frigate of Malta | 1 |
| ” of Malta | 4 | Division of Spezzia | 100 |
| ” of Sicily | 4 | ” of Fernando Gonzaga | 150 |
| ” of Antony Doria | 6 | ” of Spain | 200 |
| ” of Naples | 5 | ||
| ” of Monaco | 2 | ||
| ” of Marquis of Terra Nova | 2 | ||
| ” of Vicome de Cigala | 2 | ||
| ” of Fernando de Gonzaga | 7 | ||
| ” of Spain | 15 | ||
| ” of Andrea Doria | 14 | ||
| Total Galleys | 65 | Total Transports | 451 |
| Add Transports | 451 | ||
| Total Fleet | 516 | ||
We now come to the military side of the expedition, which consisted of:
| The Household of the Emperor | 200 |
| Noblesse | 150 |
| Knights of Malta | 150 |
| Servants | 400 |
| German Corps | 6,000 |
| Italians | 5,000 |
| Spanish from Naples and Sicily | 6,000 |
| Soldiers from Spain | 400 |
| Adventurers | 3,000 |
| Italian Cavalry | 1,000 |
| Spanish Cavalry from Sicily | 400 |
| Light Cavalry | 700 |
| Total Army | 23,900 |
We next come to the Armament of the Fleet:
| Soldiers of the Galleys (50 in each) | 3,250 | |
| Galley Slaves (average 70 in each) | 4,500 | |
| ” ” The Frigate of Malta | 80 | |
| 540 sailing ships of all sorts, mostly small (at an average of 10 each) | 4,500 | |
| Total Personnel of the Fleet | 12,330 | |
| Add Army | 28,900 | |
| Total Personnel of the Expedition. | 36,230 | men. |
It was late autumn when the expedition at last set sail, and the imperious temper of Charles was such that he refused to be governed by the advice of the seasoned mariners, such as Andrea and Antony Doria, and others who dreaded the effect of the gales which the armada was likely to encounter on the coast of Africa. The Emperor was not to be gainsaid, and the fleet set sail. They arrived, says Sandoval, “en el dia de San Hieronymo,” Saint Bartholomew’s day; and there then arose such a storm as the Mediterranean seldom sees. Some of the army had landed, some were still afloat, the corsairs accounted for the luckless soldiers ashore, the elements destroyed many left in the ships: 26 ships and 4,000 men were lost.
Bitterly mortified, Charles, who had personally displayed valour and conduct of unusual distinction in this disastrous expedition, returned to Europe to turn his attention to his everlasting quarrels with the King of France. Meanwhile Don Hugo de Moncada had escaped with a remnant of his forces to Iviza, in the Balearics, where he wintered, and where his men mutinied because he was unable to pay them.