Spanish assault on Djerba (1510) facts for kids
The Spanish attack on Djerba in 1510 was a military trip led by Ferdinand II of Aragon. It was aimed at the island of Djerba in Tunisia. This event led to the deaths of many soldiers and is often called the Djerba Disaster. In Spanish, it's known as Desastre de los Gelves.
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Why Spain Attacked Djerba
After Spain successfully took over Oran in 1509, King Ferdinand II wanted to conquer more places. So, in December 1509, a group of soldiers gathered in Ibiza and Formentera. Their leader was Pedro Navarro. Their goal was to capture several towns along the coast of North Africa.
On January 1, 1510, about 20 ships and 4,000 to 5,000 men set sail. They were headed for Bejaia. They landed on January 5 and quickly took the city. There wasn't much resistance.
After a battle outside Bejaia, the cities of Algiers and Tunis agreed to pay tribute to King Ferdinand. This meant they would show respect and loyalty to him. Later, an illness spread among the Spanish soldiers, causing about a hundred deaths. The soldiers then moved to Favignana to get more supplies.
On July 15, 1510, they sailed towards Tripoli. The city was attacked and taken over. Many defenders died, and most of the people living there were captured.
The Djerba Disaster Unfolds
On July 29, 1510, Pedro Navarro sailed from Tripoli to Djerba. He wanted the island to surrender. But the people of Djerba refused his demands. So, Navarro returned to Tripoli.
Soon after, García Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga arrived with 3,000 more men. He became the new leader of the troops. On August 26, they set sail and reached Djerba on August 29.
Landing and Marching Challenges
The soldiers landed on Djerba using small boats. There were about 15,000 men, but they had no animals to help them. This meant they had to carry all their heavy cannons, ammunition, and gunpowder themselves.
They formed their groups and began marching towards Djerba castle. The weather was very hot, and there was not enough water. The soldiers struggled a lot. Many started leaving their positions to find water at some wells in a palm grove.
Sudden Attack and Panic
Near the wells, defenders on horseback were waiting. They attacked the first Spanish soldiers who were trying to get water. Hundreds of Spanish soldiers in the front lines were caught off guard.
Immediately, the Spanish foot soldiers started to run away. They spread panic among their friends. Many soldiers dropped their weapons and armor to run faster. García Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga tried to fight back, but he was killed by the attackers.
Escape Attempts and Losses
The troops kept retreating back to where they had landed. The small rowing boats had been sent to guard a narrow passage connecting the island to the mainland. The larger ships could not get close to the shore.
Desperate, soldiers jumped into the sea to try and reach the ships. Their captains sent out smaller boats to pick them up. But many soldiers drowned while trying to escape in the overloaded boats.
When night came, about 3,000 men were still waiting to get on the ships. Many were killed or captured during the night and the next morning. Some captains refused to let more soldiers on their ships. They said they didn't have enough water for them. These ships then sailed away towards Naples.
A storm then hit, causing two caravels (types of ships) and a galleon (a large sailing ship) to crash. Most of the men on these ships drowned. Some survived by holding onto the masts. Navarro sent two ships to rescue them.
On Tuesday, September 3, with good wind, the rest of the fleet left Djerba. But strong winds at sea scattered the ships. It is thought that between 2,000 and 4,000 men died during this trip.
On October 4, the main part of the remaining fleet, about 8,000 men on 60 ships, left Tripoli heading north. But another storm caused more ships to be lost. They gathered again in Tripoli. Finally, 30 ships with 5,000 men sailed to Lampedusa, where they spent the winter.
How the Disaster Was Remembered
The defeat at Djerba in 1510 was a big blow to Spain. It was remembered in poems and popular sayings.
The famous poet Garcilaso de la Vega wrote about it: "¡Oh patria lagrimosa, y cómo vuelves los ojos a los Gelves, sospirando!... El arena quemaba, el sol ardía, la gente se caía medio muerta ..." This means: "Oh tearful homeland, how you turn your eyes to Djerba, sighing! .... The sand burned, the sun blazed, the men fell half dead...."
The campaign is also mentioned in a poem by Luis de Góngora called La más bella niña: "En los Gelves nací, el año que os perdisteis en los Gelves, de una berberisca noble y de un turco matasiete." This means: "At Djerba I was born, the year you were routed in Djerba, from a noble Berber woman and a Turkish loudmouth."
The disaster also led to Spanish sayings like "Los Gelves, madre, malos son de ganare." (Djerba, mother, is hard to win). Another saying was "Lloraba la viuda de los Gelves, tocas blancas en años verdes" (The widow of Djerba was crying, white hats in green years).
In the famous Spanish book Lazarillo de Tormes, the main character's father is said to have died in the Djerba action. People still discuss if this means the 1510 or 1520 event. This discussion is linked to when the book was written.
See also
In Spanish: Jornada de los Gelves (1510) para niños
