Spanish conquest of Tripoli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conquest of Tripoli |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Crown of Aragon Kingdom of Sicily |
 Hafsid dynasty |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Pedro Navarro | |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| c. 15,000 men | |||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| c. 300 killed | c. 3,000–5,000 killed c. 5,000–6,000 enslaved |
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The Conquest of Tripoli was a big event in 1510. It was a sea-based military mission led by Pedro Navarro. His goal was to capture the city of Tripoli in North Africa for the Crown of Aragon. The Crown of Aragon was a powerful kingdom in what is now Spain.
Contents
Why Did They Attack Tripoli?
Pedro Navarro was a military leader who worked for King Ferdinand II of Aragon. The idea to capture Tripoli started after the King of Tlemcen agreed to pay money to Aragon. This payment, called a tribute, was agreed on June 5, 1510.
Navarro's army was very large, with about 15,000 soldiers. About 3,000 of these soldiers came from Sicily. The fleet, which is a group of ships, sailed from Sicily. They first stopped at Malta. There, five more ships joined them. They also got some Maltese guides to help them find their way.
The fleet left Malta on July 20. Four days later, they arrived near the coast of Tripoli.
The Battle for Tripoli
On the morning of July 25, 1510, the attack began. This day was also a special holiday called St. James's Day. About 6,000 soldiers from the Spanish ships landed. Half of them helped to attack the city. The other half stayed in a camp to protect against any attack from the land.
The Spanish used their powerful cannons from the ships. This helped them take control of the city very quickly. Tripoli surrendered after about three hours of intense fighting in the city's streets.
What Happened After the Conquest?
The Spanish victory had a big impact on Tripoli. Before the attack, about 15,000 to 20,000 people lived there. During the fighting, between 3,000 and 5,000 people were killed. Another 5,000 to 6,000 people were taken as captives. Many Jewish people who were captured were sent to Sicily. Some of them later chose to become Christians.
Some people from Tripoli managed to escape. They went to nearby towns like Janzur and Tajura. The Spanish army had very few losses, with only about 300 soldiers killed. About 170 Christians who had been captives in Tripoli were set free. Most of these freed captives were from Sicily or Malta.
Tripoli remained under Spanish rule for 20 years, until 1530. Then, it was given to the Hospitallers. These knights ruled the city for a while. But in 1551, an Ottoman captain named Dragut attacked the city. The Knights Hospitaller were forced to leave after this siege.
See also
In Spanish: Conquista de Trípoli para niños
- Spanish Tripoli
