The 1553 Franco-Ottoman Invasion of Corsica

The island of Corsica has gone through a series of invasions and occupations over the years. Yet, one of the many forgotten chapters of said history, has been the 1553 Franco-Ottoman Invasion of Corsica, one which brought about many changes to the island in terms of culture, identity, and national holding. But, for no longer.

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For centuries, control over who would be the dominate power of the Mediterranean was waged between the Ottoman Empire and the nations of Europe. Throughout this centuries long power struggle, there would be many, now long forgotten instances of Ottoman encroachment into European held land. Sometimes, with the help of a continental power. In this episode, We will be looking at Corsica, and the long forgotten Otto-French invasion of the island.

The island of Corsica had been of great importance to the Spanish, who used it as their center hub of communications between their European provinces, as well as it acting as a way station for smaller ships that were traveling from Spain to Italy. In 1551, the French under Henry the 2nd, would launch a series of campaigns against the Hapsburgs in the Holy Roman Empire and Spain, attempting to become the dominate power within Italy. To help achieve this, he would conclude an alliance with Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire, just as his father had done previously. A combined Ottoman French fleet of 100 galleys would be victorious against the main Genoan fleet in the Battle of Ponza on August the 5th of 1552. This would grant the fleets much needed breathing room to raid Italy as time went on, and they would use that time wisely. Attacking many cities within the Calabria region of Southern Italy, even capturing the city of Reggio for a short period of time.

After wintering in the island of Chios, the combined fleet would head west, and aid in transporting French troops from Parma towards their next target. The Island of Corsica. Corsica had been ruled by the Republic of Genoa since 1284. Even with the long-standing hold on the island. Genoa did not manage the island well, and there would be constant fighting between families over control of the inner territory. Due to financial stress, Genoa would grant the bank of Saint George the island as collateral in 1453, and the people of Corsica held a public assembly, where an overwhelming number of them would accept the banks dominance over the island chain. At first, the bank was rather popular, but as time went on, exclusion zones of native folks, and the gradual increased taxation, would create a substantial amount of Corsicans that would either be exiled, or leave the island voluntarily. One of which, would be an individual by the name of Sampiero Corso, who immigrated to France and became a high-ranking officer in the French army, playing a major part in their on-going Italian campaigns. A conference with the general staff would be raised, and at Corso's insistence, Corsica would be a prime French target.

Ottoman and French ships would transport roughly 7,000 men over to the island in August of 1553. Landing on cap corse, the northern peninsula. By the 24th of the month, Bastia would fall to the French, Saint-Florent on the 26th and Corte a short time later, with Bonifacio, located on the southern end of the island, taken in September. The French conquests were largely centered around the coasts and the major cities, while Sampiero Corso would proceed to use native Corsicans to wage war in the center of the island, slowly making gains over the interior.

The only major city left to take was Calvi on the north-western section of the island, which was the most fortified position that the Genoese had held, even prior to the invasion. But by October, the Ottoman vessels, which had been the bulk of the fleet, were sailing back to Constantinople, filled to brim with riches from their raids. The French fleet itself headed back to Marseilles for the winter, leaving roughly 5,000 French men and locally raised Corsican militia to hold the occupation. With the fleet withdrawl, the tide had now turned, as Genoese and Tuscan ships now had dominate control over the high seas, and Calvi would be reinforced throughout the winter.

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