On the other side of the canal works were also undertaken. When everything was almost finished, a bridge over the canal linking the two parts of La Goulette, and assured communications between them.
To add to these resources, we used the batteries from some galleys ashore, and they spared to other vessels, wet in the lake itself, the way to open their fire on the enemy, whichever way he attack him the corner.
To defend these, 4,000 had Khaireddine Turkish Janissaries of 1,000 and 2,000 Tunisians. He gave the command over two of his lieutenants: Sinan, the Jew, and Ali, surnamed Caccia Diavolo, or Devil Hunt.
As for food for the nourishment of all these people, they were to be drawn from Tunis and service of boats constantly coming and going from La Goulette, provide for these essential needs.
After using the arms of the population, Barbarossa thought to use its passions. The Holy War was proclaimed. Imams preached everywhere hatred of the Christian name, and many officers scoured the countryside, to excite the fanatical zeal of the warm and indifferent. It was under these provisions that Barbarossa waited threatening forces of Charles V.
Preparations ordained in the various arsenals being completed, Charles V left Barcelona May 31, 1535, with its own division, and those provided by Flanders, Portugal and Genoa. They were reinforced in Cagliari, where the emperor arrived a few days later, Arms of Malta and Italy. All fleet sails were 400 including 90 galleys. The army comprised 26,500 men, including the following enumeration:
FLEET.
- Division of Spain, Genoa and Flanders: 54 galleys, 70 large ships, 54 brigs, under the command of Andrea Doria.
- Portugal Division: 27 ships under the command of Antonio de Saldanha.
- Division of Italy and Malta: 36 galleys, 28 large ships under the command of Alvaro Bazan. More
transport.
ARMY.
INFANTRY - Division English; veteran troops from Italy: 4,000 men, under the command of General Marquis de Guasto.
- Division English, new levies: 8,000 men, under the Duke of Alba.
- German Division: 7,000 men under the command of Maximilian Piedra Buena.
- Italian Division: 4,000 men under the command of the Prince of Salerno.
- Portuguese Division: 2,000 men, under the orders of Louis Infante of Portugal.
CAVALRY - Volunteers noble of all nations: 1,000 men under the command of the Marquis de Mondejar.
- English Cavalry: 500 men under the command of the Marquis de Mondejar.
Part of Cagliari, the fleet appeared on the bay of Tunis in the second half of June. They had before them the land or was Carthage, or St. Louis instead landed three centuries ago. The men of Charles V. could not see, an arid coast and desert, burned by the fire of a scorching sun, dotted with gigantic ruins, not connected by any link with the past, at best they knew that an army of Christians had descended on this once land to plant the cross they themselves would try to fix it!
It landed without resistance from the Arabs, and now they were busy preparing for the attack. After several hot business, or both sides were made losses serious enough, and the work of the seat being completed elsewhere, fire was opened on July 14, 1535 Halk el Oued, La Goulette, which the same day, fell into the hands of the Spaniards. Eighty-seven ships and three hundred guns fell into the hands of the victors.
The Turkish garrison evacuated it and retreated to Tunis, winning the city by the lake, not without losing a lot of people throughout the journey.
At the news of the landing of Charles V, Moulay Hassan was rushed to him enough not to be confused with that of 150 riders, instead of the numerous contingent he had undertaken to provide it. Nevertheless, the Emperor reassured him generously, and he again promised to restore his throne before long.
La Goulette making the order to stand on Tunis was given, and, on July 17, the army marched, along the right bank of the lake.
Barbarossa, at the head of 9,000 homes for old soldiers, came to meet the Emperor at a mile and a half from the town, the two armies were in attendance and came to blows, but the Tunisian troops, composed Turks and natives could not withstand the first shock of the Christians, and all were soon overthrown. At the same time that the action committed, almost in sight of the ramparts of the city, the Christian slaves broke the doors of their prison, and had mastered the Kasbah.
the top of its walls, they announced their success in the English army. This circumstance greatly affects the outcome of the company. Deprived of its main defense, Tunis was forced to capitulate.
During the night the Turks still encamped under the walls of the city, but the next Khaireddine that these successive failures had discouraged, withdrew with the remnants of his army in the interior, from where he reached Algiers leaving in the Casbah of its capital ephemeral treasures and women.
The Emperor was received upon his entrance into the city by different authorities, who came up outside the doors for him to offer keys. Despite this act of condescension respectful, Tunis was pillaged, and plundered it lasted three days and begot a bloodbath that left 70.000 dead!
According to various stories, sources, chronicles and historians "the looting would have been permitted for three days, but the booty was small, and frustrated troops had thus satisfied their revenge by massacring some of the inhabitants irrespective for sex or age. " According to historian
Abdulwahab Tunisia, Tunis at that time had 180,000 souls. The third was captured and the others fled in the vicinity of Zaghouan and the rest were massacred. The smell of corpses decomposed by heat incommodèrent the king was forced to leave Tunis July 27 to stay in Rades
addition to "carnage", "this heinous killing," these organs and rapine, "" the massacre " mosques were demolished and burned libraries. The desecration of the Great Mosque Zaytuna and rape of the tomb of the marabout Sidi Mahrez patron of the city of Tunis with strong emotions were evoked by various writers and historians, and was even interpreted as an act "barbaric."
Columnist Paolo Giovio who had accompanied the expeditionary described the despair of Moulay Hassan Arabic books before trampled by English troops.
also mention other names still bearing the imprint of this eventful history. Until today. One of the doors of Tunis still bears the name of "Bab el Falla" (Gate of the failed and puerta Huida) which recalls the flight of the inhabitants of Tunis after taking into Ressas and Djebel Djebel Zaghouan.
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