Philip II., who had lately succeeded to the throne of Spain, vacant by the abdication of his father, Charles V., assembled a force for the recovery of Tripoli, the importance of which for the protection of Sicily and Spain had become more than ever apparent since its capture by the Turks. A strong contingent from Malta joined this army, numbering upwards of 2,000 men, of whom 400 were knights, under the command of de Tessières, the new admiral of the fleet. The viceroy, who was at the head of the expedition, caused its utter failure through his obstinacy and vanity. Instead of directing his first attack against Tripoli, as had originally been intended, he captured the little island of Galves, upon which he began the construction of a fortress, intending that it should bear his own name. The delay proved fatal; disease spread rapidly amongst his forces, and the knights, perceiving the futility of the entire operation, abandoned the enterprise, by order of La Valette, and returned to Malta. Heedless of all warnings, the viceroy persisted in remaining within his new acquisition, where he was surprised by a powerful Turkish squadron, and with difficulty escaped the capture which awaited the remnants of his force. No less than fourteen large vessels and twenty-eight galleys, the flower of the Spanish fleet, were captured and carried off by Piali to Constantinople. It is computed that altogether 14,000 men perished in this unfortunate and mismanaged enterprise.
The exultation of the Barbary Moors at their success knew no bounds; indeed, it seemed as though of late years the Cross had been fated always to suffer humiliation at the hands of the Crescent. The tide was now, however, about to turn. Encouraged by the reverses the Spaniards had sustained in their late expedition, as well as in a fearful storm which at about this time—viz., 1562—overtook a squadron of twenty-four galleys, whilst carrying supplies to the Spanish colonies, and in which 4,000 men and nearly the whole fleet were lost, the Algerines determined on making a bold effort to sweep the Christians entirely from the coast of Africa. Since the fall of Tripoli, the principal possessions of the latter in that quarter were the fortresses of Oran and Mers-el-Kebir, which were in immediate contiguity to each other. It was against these
