Scarce 16th century Venetian plan of the fort of Tunis

CAMOCIO, Giovanni Francesco.

Tunesi. Pianta del novo forte de tunesi.
Venice: Ferrando and/or Donato Bertelli, c.1575. 225 x 170mm.

A plan of the new walls built at Tunis after Gabrio Serbelloni captured the city for the Spanish in 1573.

Serbelloni (1509-80) , an Italian Knight of Malta and cousin on Pope Pius IV, had fought at Lepanto and helped Jean de la Valette rebuild the fortifications of Malta after the Turkish siege of 1565. However these experiences did not help him at Tunis. In 1574 the Turks attacked, capturing both the city and Serbelloni, who was dragged by his beard to beg his captors for mercy, then taken to Constantinople for ransom. A year later he returned to military service, and took part in the Spanish capture of Maastricht in 1578. He died at home in Milan in 1578, aged seventy.

This plan was published in Camocio's 'Isole famose, porti fortezze e terre marittime sottoposte alla Ser.ma Sig.ria di Venezia', a description of the places claimed as subject to the Republic of Venice. A later state, with plate number.


Stock ID : 13470