A middle oblique view of the taking of tunis by don john of austria with troops of the spanish empire on 11th october 1573. Ottoman-habsburg wars (1526-1791). Oriented with west to top (p[onente]; mariner’s compass). The spanish had planned an expedition to north africa during 1573; don john arrived at goletta on the 8th october and disembarked on the 9th. The troops comprised 13,000 italians, 9,000 spaniards and 5,000 germans, shown here moving among the ancient ruins of carthage. The fleet, which is only hinted at in this view, comprised 107 galleys, 31 ships, the galleon of the grand duke of tuscany and several barques loaded with supplies and frigates and other small boats. Although this view shows cannon being fired, the inhabitants had fled the town without fighting and don juan occupied it without trouble on the 11th, finding only old people, who had been left behind, in the casbah. The date of the 11th, rather than the 10th october, as given in the title, is recorded in braudel (1995), p. 1132, footnote 239. A garrison of 8,000 men was left in tunis. On the 24th october, don john left goletta and took porto farina, shown here to the north (right) of tunis, the same day. Date: after 1573. Place of creation: Rome. Dimensions: 39.4 x 52.7 cm (image and sheet). Medium: etching and engraving. Depicted Place: Tūnis, Tunisia. Collection: Royal Collection. Tunis, 1573 RCIN 721070
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