Siege of Castelnuovo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Castelnuovo
Part of the Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–1540)
View of Castelnuovo in the 16th century – engraving by an unknown 17th-century artist
Date 18 July – 6 August 1539 Location Herceg Novi, present-day Montenegro Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Spanish Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Francisco de Sarmiento   †	Hayreddin Barbarossa
Strength
3,500–4,000 men	50,000 men 200 ships
Casualties and losses
All killed or executed except 100 men	8,000-20,000 killed

The Siege of Castelnuovo was a major battle that happened in July 1539. It was part of a bigger fight between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Empire for control of the Mediterranean Sea. The battle took place at a walled town called Castelnuovo, which is now Herceg Novi in Montenegro.

Spanish soldiers had captured Castelnuovo the year before. This happened during a failed plan by the Holy League to fight the Ottomans. A powerful Ottoman army, led by Hayreddin Barbarossa, surrounded Castelnuovo by land and sea. Barbarossa offered the Spanish defenders a chance to surrender honorably.

However, the Spanish commander, Francisco de Sarmiento, and his officers refused. They knew that the Holy League's fleet had been defeated earlier and could not help them. During the siege, Barbarossa's army lost many soldiers because the Spanish fought very bravely. In the end, Castelnuovo fell to the Ottomans, and almost all the Spanish defenders, including Sarmiento, were killed.

Losing Castelnuovo meant that the Christian attempt to take back control of the Eastern Mediterranean failed. But the bravery of the Spanish soldiers was admired across Europe. Their "last stand" became the subject of many poems and songs.

Why the Battle Happened

Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha defeats the Holy League of Charles V at the Battle of Preveza (1538) – painting from 1866 by Ohannes Umed Behzad

In the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire was growing very powerful. Its armies had been stopped at Vienna in 1529. In the Mediterranean Sea, Christian forces tried to stop the large Turkish fleet in 1535. A strong fleet led by Don Álvaro de Bazán and Andrea Doria captured the port of Tunis. This forced Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa out of the Western Mediterranean.

Barbarossa then went back to Istanbul. There, he was put in charge of a huge fleet. His mission was to attack the Republic of Venice's lands in the Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea. Barbarossa captured several islands and even attacked Corfu. He also raided Italian cities like Otranto.

Portrait of Charles V with a Baton – copy by Rubens of a portrait by Titian

Venice was worried about losing its lands and trade. So, it pushed for a "Holy League" to be formed. This league would help them get back lost territories and push the Ottomans out of the sea. In February 1538, Pope Paul III successfully created this league. It brought together the Pope, Venice, the Holy Roman Empire (led by Charles V), Austria, and the Knights of Malta.

The plan was for the Allied fleet to have 200 large warships and 100 other ships. The army would have about 50,000 foot soldiers and 4,500 cavalry. However, they could only gather 130 warships and about 15,000 foot soldiers, mostly Spanish. Andrea Doria was in charge of the fleet.

The commanders of the fleet did not always agree. This made them less effective against an experienced enemy like Barbarossa. This problem was clear during the Battle of Preveza. However, the Holy League fleet did help land forces capture Castelnuovo. This small town was an important fortress. Venice wanted the city, but Charles V refused to give it up. This disagreement started to break apart the Holy League.

Portrait of Andrea Doria, c. 1520, by Sebastiano del Piombo

Castelnuovo had about 4,000 soldiers defending it. The main force was about 3,500 experienced Spanish soldiers. This group was called the Tercio of Castelnuovo. It included soldiers from other groups. There were also 150 light cavalry, some Greek soldiers, and 15 gunners with artillery. A priest named Jeremías also stayed in Castelnuovo and became the town's bishop.

The large number of soldiers in Castelnuovo was because it was meant to be a starting point for a big attack on the Ottoman Empire. But the soldiers' fate depended on the fleet's support. The fleet had been defeated at Preveza before Castelnuovo was even captured. Also, Venice soon left the Holy League after making a bad deal with the Ottomans. Without Venice's ships, the Allied fleet had no chance against Barbarossa's fleet. Barbarossa was also supported by another skilled officer, Turgut Reis.

The Siege Begins

First Moves

Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha, 16th century contemporary painting, Louvre Museum, Paris

Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Sultan, told Barbarossa to get his fleet ready for battle in the spring of 1539. About 10,000 foot soldiers and 4,000 Janissaries (elite Ottoman soldiers) were put on the warships. Barbarossa's army had about 200 ships and 20,000 fighting men. They would block Castelnuovo by sea. At the same time, the Ottoman governor of Bosnia, Ulamen, would attack the fortress by land with 30,000 soldiers.

Meanwhile, Sarmiento used the peaceful months before the siege to make the town's defenses stronger. He repaired walls and built new fortifications. But he couldn't do much because he didn't have enough supplies. Castelnuovo was supposed to be a starting point for attack, not a place to be defended for long. Sarmiento sent messengers to Spain and Sicily to ask for help, but none came. Andrea Doria, who was nearby with his ships, told Sarmiento to surrender because his fleet was too small to help.

In June, Barbarossa sent 30 warships to block the entrance to the Gulf of Cattaro. These ships reached Castelnuovo on June 12. They landed a thousand soldiers to find water and capture Spanish soldiers or locals for information. Sarmiento sent his soldiers to attack them. After a tough fight, the Ottoman soldiers had to go back to their ships. They tried again later, but Sarmiento himself led 600 soldiers and defeated them. Three hundred Ottomans were killed, and 30 were captured.

Portrait of Suleiman the Magnificent, attributed to Titian. c.1530

On July 18, Barbarossa arrived with his main force. He started landing troops and artillery. Ulamen arrived with his army a few days later. Ottoman engineers spent five days digging trenches and building earthworks for 44 heavy cannons. These cannons were brought by Barbarossa's fleet or Ulamen's troops. They even smoothed the ground around Castelnuovo to make it easier to move. Castelnuovo was also attacked from the sea by cannons on the warships.

The Spanish soldiers made several surprise attacks to stop the Ottoman work. These attacks caused many casualties. One of Barbarossa's favorite captains, Agi, was killed. In another attack, 800 Spanish soldiers surprised some Janissaries who were trying to climb the walls. Most of them were killed, and the ground was covered with bodies. Barbarossa was very angry about these losses. He ordered his men to stop fighting small battles to avoid losing more elite soldiers.

The Big Attack

By July 23, Barbarossa's army was ready for a huge attack. His cannons were ready to break down Castelnuovo's walls. Barbarossa had many more soldiers than the Spanish. The Spanish were completely cut off and couldn't get any help or supplies. So, Barbarossa offered the Spanish an honorable surrender. Sarmiento and his men could go to Italy safely, keeping their weapons and flags. Barbarossa even offered each soldier 20 gold coins. He only asked them to leave their cannons and gunpowder.

Two Spanish soldiers who survived and later wrote about the events said that Sarmiento asked his captains what to do. The captains replied: "Que vengan cuando quieran" (Let them come whenever they want). This meant they refused to surrender.

Ottoman siege guns at the siege of Esztergom, 1543 – painted by Sebastian Vrancks, 17th century

The big attack on the city started soon after and lasted all day. It was very bloody. The Ottomans used both foot soldiers and cannons at the same time. This caused many casualties among the Ottomans themselves, sometimes from their own cannon fire. During the night, the Spanish fixed their defenses and filled the holes in the walls. The attack started again the next morning. Bishop Jeremías stayed with the soldiers, encouraging them and helping the dying. About 1,500 Ottoman soldiers were killed in this attack, while the Spanish lost about 500.

After successfully defending the city, some Spanish soldiers decided to make a surprise attack on the Ottoman camp. Sarmiento approved. One morning, 600 Spanish men surprised the unprepared Ottoman soldiers. In some places, the attack could not be stopped, and panic spread. Many Ottoman troops ran away, including some Janissaries. They even ran through Barbarossa's own tent. The Admiral's personal guards worried about his safety and took him to his ships.

Ottoman Janissaries

In the following days, most of the Ottoman cannons focused on a fort in the upper part of the town. Barbarossa believed it was the most important part of Castelnuovo's defenses. The other cannons kept firing at the town's weak walls. On August 4, Barbarossa ordered an attack on the ruined fort. Sarmiento had sent more soldiers to defend it and moved the wounded out. The battle lasted all day. Captain Machín of Munguía fought very bravely. By nightfall, the remaining Spanish soldiers retreated to the town walls with their wounded. They left the ruined castle to Barbarossa. Many lives were lost that day. Most of the Spanish officers defending the castle were killed.

The Ottomans captured a few Spanish survivors, including three who had left their own side. These three told Barbarossa that the Spanish had lost many soldiers, were low on gunpowder, and were mostly wounded and tired. This encouraged Barbarossa to continue his attacks.

Castelnuovo Falls

Castelnuovo's view in the early 18th century, by Pierre Mortier (1661–1711), circa 1700

On August 5, a new attack was launched against the walls. Barbarossa was sure he could capture Castelnuovo soon. All the Janissaries took part, and the cavalry got off their horses to join the attack. Even though the Ottomans had many more soldiers, the Spanish defense was successful. Only one tower of the wall fell that day. Sarmiento tried to use a mine to destroy the tower, but it failed when gunpowder exploded by accident, killing the soldiers working on it.

At dawn the next day, a heavy rain ruined the matchlocks of the arquebuses (early guns), the few remaining cannons, and the last of the gunpowder. The fight then continued only with swords, pikes, and knives. Wounded Spanish soldiers had to pick up weapons and help defend the walls. Only the dying remained in the hospital. Surprisingly, the few Spanish survivors managed to push back the attack.

The final attack happened the next morning. Francisco de Sarmiento, on horseback, was hit in the face by three arrows. But he kept encouraging his men. The walls were completely destroyed by heavy cannon fire and could no longer be defended. Sarmiento then ordered the 600 Spanish survivors to retreat. His plan was to defend a castle in the lower city where the people of Castelnuovo had taken shelter.

The retreat was orderly, but Sarmiento and his men found that the castle doors were blocked. Sarmiento was offered a rope to climb over the walls, but he refused. He said, "Never God wants that I was saved and my companions were lost without me." He then joined Machín de Munguía and other captains to lead the last stand. Surrounded by the Ottoman army, the last Spanish soldiers fought back to back until none could fight anymore. By the end of the day, Castelnuovo was in Ottoman hands.

What Happened Next

Almost all the Janissaries and many other Ottoman soldiers were killed in the attack. The Ottomans lost at least 8,000 men. Of the Spanish troops, only 200 survived, most of them wounded. One of the prisoners was Captain Machín de Munguía. Barbarossa admired Munguía for his bravery. He offered Munguía freedom and a place in his army. But Munguía refused. So, he was beheaded on Barbarossa's ship. Half of the other prisoners and all the priests were also killed. The Ottoman soldiers were angry about their heavy losses. The few remaining survivors were taken as slaves to Constantinople. Twenty-five of them managed to escape six years later and sailed to Messina.

Even though Sarmiento failed to hold the fortress, the defense of Castelnuovo was celebrated by poets and praised across Christian Europe. The Spanish soldiers were compared to mythological and classical history heroes. People thought their bravery was amazing.

The siege of Castelnuovo marked the end of the Holy League's failed plan against the Ottoman Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean. Charles V tried to get Barbarossa to join his side, but it didn't work. Charles then focused on a big expedition against Algiers to destroy the Ottoman sea power. This expedition, known as the Journey of Algiers, was a disaster. A storm scattered the fleet, and the army suffered heavy losses. A truce (peace agreement) between Charles V and Suleiman the Magnificent was signed in 1543.

Castelnuovo remained under Ottoman control for almost 150 years. It was finally taken back in 1687 during the Morean War. The Venetian Captain-General of the Sea Girolamo Cornaro, working with Montenegrins, won a big victory over the Ottomans near the town. This brought the fortress back under Venetian rule.

See also

In Spanish: Sitio de Castelnuovo para niños

• Conquest of Tunis (1574)

Images for kids

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  View of Castelnuovo in the 16th century – engraving by an unknown 17th-century artist

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  Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha defeats the Holy League of Charles V at the Battle of Preveza (1538) – painting from 1866 by Ohannes Umed Behzad

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  Portrait of Charles V with a Baton – copy by Rubens of a portrait by Titian

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  Portrait of Andrea Doria, c. 1520, by Sebastiano del Piombo

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  Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha, 16th century contemporary painting, Louvre Museum, Paris

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  Portrait of Suleiman the Magnificent, attributed to Titian. c.1530

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  Ottoman siege guns at the siege of Esztergom, 1543 – painted by Sebastian Vrancks, 17th century

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  Ottoman Janissaries

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  Castelnuovo's view in the early 18th century, by Pierre Mortier (1661–1711), circa 1700