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| Conquest of Tunis (1573) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofSpanish–Ottoman wars | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Spanish Empire |  Regency of Algiers Ottoman Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| John of Austria Álvaro de Bazán | Muley Hamida | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| 104 galleys 44 sail ships 60 small ships 20,000 soldiers | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| None | Unknown | ||||||||
TheConquest of Tunis in 1573 was a Spanish campaign led byJohn of Austria to conquerTunis.
With the victory of theBattle of Lepanto, John of Austria pushed for actions to capitalize on the Christian momentum. His first attempt tobesiege Navarino in 1572 was fruitless, being forced to retire, although in its course his admiralÁlvaro de Bazán captured an enemy galley commanded by a grandson ofHayreddin Barbarossa, after which they confirmed the Ottomans' mostly defensive attitude. A new grand campaign was cancelled with the disbanding of theHoly League and the negotiations between the Ottomans and theRepublic of Venice, leading the Spanish Monarchy to ponder about a new conquest in Africa. Knowing the Spanish garrison in the La Goleta fort in Tunis was still besieged since the1569 capture of the city byOcchiali, this was the chosen target.[1]
Although most of the Spanish Empire's resources were focused in theAtlantic Ocean, deeming theMediterranean Sea was a theater free of strategic dangers after the outcome of Lepanto, Don John gathered 152 galleys, many of them Ottoman vessels captured in the battle. This would be one of the main displays of Hispanic naval power up to the point.[1] Don John would take 104 galleys and other support vessels whileGiovanni Andrea Doria stayed inSicily with 48 galleys, guarding against possible political turmoil in theRepublic of Genoa.[1]
The capture of the city was bloodless. As long as John of Austria's fleet arrived in Tunis, the local population mutinied against the Turk garrison, capturing many of them. A galley with 220 Christian slaves were handed over to Don John, who gave the city's throne to Muley Mohammed, brother and enemy to Muley Hamida, Tunis' Ottoman ruler.[1]
The battle was followed by a campaign by the Ottoman fleet led by Occhiali, who performed minor raids before returning. However, Occhiali wouldretake Tunis the following year due to the disbanding of the Spanish fleet.[2]