Battle of the Counts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the Counts
Battle of the Counts
Date 23 June 1287 Location near Naples, present-day Italy Result Aragonese victory
Belligerents
Crown of Aragon	Kingdom of Naples
Commanders and leaders
Roger of Lauria	Reynald III Quarrel of Avella Narjot de Toucy
Strength
40–45 galleys	70 galleys
Casualties and losses
Unknown	5,000 crew captured 40 galleys captured

The Battle of the Counts was an important naval battle fought on June 23, 1287. It happened near Naples, in what is now Italy. In this battle, a fleet of ships from the Crown of Aragon and Kingdom of Sicily faced off against a larger fleet from the Kingdom of Naples.

The Aragonese-Sicilian fleet was led by a very skilled admiral named Roger of Lauria. The Naples fleet was commanded by Reynald III Quarrel of Avella and Narjot de Toucy. This battle was a key part of a bigger conflict called the War of the Sicilian Vespers. This war was fought over who would control the island of Sicily.

A Clever Plan and a Trap

Admiral Lauria had taken his ships to Augusta, a town in eastern Sicily. He had heard that the Naples fleet was landing soldiers there. Lauria's troops quickly recaptured the town, trapping the Naples soldiers inside the castle.

However, this attack on Augusta was just a trick! The Naples ships had actually sailed around the south of Sicily. They met up with their allies, making their fleet almost twice as big as Lauria's. Their real plan was to land soldiers in the southwest of Sicily.

Finding the Enemy

Lauria soon realized the trick. He began searching for the combined enemy fleet. He finally found them near Naples. The enemy ships were too close to the city for Lauria to attack them directly.

So, Lauria tried a clever tactic he had used before. He started firing cannons at the nearby coast. This was meant to make the enemy fleet come out and fight in open water. He also sent a formal challenge, daring them to battle.

The Battle Begins

The Naples fleet accepted the challenge and sailed out to fight. It was arranged in five groups, and each group was led by a powerful count. This is why the battle is called the "Battle of the Counts."

The counts leading these groups were Reynald III Quarrel of Avella, Hugh of Brienne, the Count of Aquila, Count Jean de Joinville, and Guy de Montfort, Count of Nola. Each count's main ship was surrounded by other ships. In total, about 70 of their 84 ships came out to fight. Two special ships carried the important banners of the Pope and the Kingdom of Naples.

Lauria's fleet was much smaller, with only about 40 to 45 ships.

Lauria's Winning Tactics

Lauria used his usual smart battle plan. He first pretended to retreat, pulling back his ships. This made the larger Naples fleet become disorganized as they chased him.

Once the Naples ships were spread out, Lauria launched his counter-attack from the sides. His ships focused on damaging the oars of the enemy ships. This made it hard for them to move or steer.

The battle lasted for most of the day. In the end, about 40 of the Naples ships were captured. Around 5,000 enemy sailors were taken prisoner, including many of the counts and important leaders. This was a big victory for the Aragonese-Sicilian forces.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de los condes para niños