or Venice, warned by
the memorable defeat at Prevesa, in 1538, and by the loss of Cyprus and
other territories, hardly ventured to renew the contest. That wily
republic found that it was safer to trust to diplomacy than to arms, in
her dealings with the Ottomans.

The Turkish navy, sweeping over the Mediterranean, combined with the
corsairs of the Barbary coast,--who, to some extent, owed allegiance to
the Porte,--and made frequent descents on the coasts of Italy and Spain,
committing worse ravages than those of the hurricane. From these ravages
France only was exempt; for her princes, with an unscrupulous policy
which caused general scandal in Christendom, by an alliance with the
Turks, protected her territories somewhat at the expense of her honor.

The northern coast of Africa, at this time, was occupied by various
races, who, however they may have differed in other respects, all united
in obedience to the Koran. Among them was a large infusion of Moors
descended from the Arab tribes who had once occupied the south of Spain,
and who, on its reconquest by the Christians, had fled that country
rather than renounce the religion of their fathers. Many even of the
Moors then living were among the victims of this religious persecution;
and they looked with longing eyes on the beautiful land of their
inheritance, and with feelings of unquenchable hatred on the Spaniards
who had deprived them of it.

The African shore was studded with towns,--some of them, like Algiers,
Tunis, Tripoli, having a large extent of territory adjacent,--which
owned the sway of some Moslem chief, who ruled them in sovereign state,
or, it might be, acknowledging, for the sake of protection, a qualified
allegiance to the sultan. These rude chiefs, profiting by their maritime
position, followed the dreadful trade of the corsair. Issuing from their
strongholds, they fell on the unprotected merchantmen, or, descending on
the opposite coasts of Andalusia and Valencia, sacked the villages, and
swept off the wretched inhabitants into slavery.

The Castilian government did what it could for the protection of its
subjects. Fortified posts were established along the shores.
Watch-towers were raised on the heights, to give notice of the approach
of an enemy. A fleet of galleys, kept constantly on duty, rode off the
coasts to intercept the corsairs. The war was occasionally carried into
the enemy's country. Expeditions were fitted out, to sweep the Barbary