ns, anxious to keep on
good terms with the Sultan, and to hold a neutral position between
Francis and Charles V., found themselves gradually committed to a war,
and by their own fault. Their commanders in the Adriatic and at Candia
were unable to resist the temptation of chasing Ottoman merchantmen.
Canale, the Proveditore of Candia, caught a noted Corsair, the "Young
Moor of Alexander," as his victims called him, sunk or captured his
galleys, killed his Janissaries, and severely wounded the young Moor
himself;--and all this in Turkish waters, on Turkish subjects, and in
time of peace. Of course when the too gallant Proveditore came to his
senses and perceived his folly, he patched the young Moor's wounds and
sent him tenderly back to Algiers: but the Sultan's ire was already
roused, and when Venetian galleys actually gave chase to a ship that
carried a Turkish ambassador, no apologies that the Signoria offered
could wipe out the affront. War was inevitable, and Venice hastily
made common cause with the Pope and the Emperor against the formidable
host which now advanced upon the Adriatic.

Before this, some stirring actions had been fought off the coasts of
Greece. Doria, sallying forth from Messina, had met the governor of
Gallipoli off Paxos, and had fought him before daybreak. Standing
erect on the poop, conspicuous in his cramoisy doublet, the tall
figure of the old admiral was seen for an hour and a half directing
the conflict, sword in hand, an easy mark for sharpshooters, as a
wound in the knee reminded him. After a severe struggle the twelve
galleys of the enemy were captured and carried in triumph to Messina.
Barbarossa was sorely wanted now, and in May, 1537, he sailed with one
hundred and thirty-five galleys to avenge the insult. For a whole
month he laid waste the Apulian coast like a pestilence, and carried
off ten thousand slaves, while Doria lay helpless with a far inferior
force in Messina roads. The Turks were boasting that they might soon
set up a Pope of their own, when the war with Venice broke out, and
they were called off from their devastation of Italy by the Sultan's
command to besiege Corfu. The Ionian islands were always a bone of
contention between the Turks and their neighbours, and a war with
Venice naturally began with an attack upon Corfu. The Senate had shut
its eyes as long as possible to the destination of the huge armaments
which had left Constantinople in the spring: Tunis, or perhaps