View of the siege of Algiers, 1541 (Algiers, Alger, Algeria) 36°45ʹ09ʺN 03°02ʹ31ʺE

A low oblique view of the Turkish garrison in Algiers being besieged by the army of Charles V. The siege took place in October, when Charles V landed a force of 21,000 men 12 miles east of Algiers, but a storm wrecked most of the Imperial fleet; a sortie by the muslim defenders caused heavy casualties, and the emperor, with 14,000 survivors, returned to Europe on October 27.The Ottoman Empire (1500-1606): Conflicts in the Mediterranean (1532-1565). Oriented with south to top (‘LEVANTE’ is written to the left edge and ‘PONENTE’ appears along the right edge).

The view shows the troops of the Holy League (Spain, Holy Roman Empire, Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, Knights of Malta. Republic of Genoa and the Papal States) to the west of Algiers. They have set up camp and established an offensive front with lines of cannon and gabions, powder barrels and ammunition. Behind these stand groups of pikemen and the cavalry is advancing across the plains towards the city. The surrounding hills are annotated to indicate that they form underground water sources for Algiers or, to the east, that the centre of the city can be seen from that vantage point. Meanwhile, Turkish ships lie to the east of the fortified walls. The vigorous repulse by the Turks is shown by the cannon fire from the walls but the scene is early in the conflict because the sally by the Algerian garrison, who, in the appalling weather conditions, gained the upper hand, is not shown.

This example appears to have been published by Jean D’Ogerolles in 1564, in a volume by Antoine Du Pinet entitled Plantz, pourtraitz et descriptions de plusieurs villes et forteresses, tant de l’Europe, Asie, & Afrique, que des Indes, & terres neuues: leurs fondations, antiquitez, & manieres de viure: auec plusieurs cartes generales & particuliere; it is illustrated (Fig.3) in Cresti (1982).