From the Black Bands to Hunting Barbary Corsairs: The Military Career of Bartolomeo Peretti
BARTOLOMEO PERETTI (Meo da Talamone). From Talamone. From a family of Corsican origin.
Born: 1504
Death: 1544 (February)
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1522 | France | Empire | Fights in the Black Bands (Bande Nere) of Giovanni dei Medici. | ||
| 1526 | |||||
| Nov. | Church | Empire | Decides to set up on his own. Back in the Maremma, together with other Corsican captains resident in Talamone (Desiderio di Comignolo, Triadano di Michele and Ambrogio di Guido), he favors the revolt of the inhabitants against the garrison of Andrea Doria, who had occupied the town months earlier. Returns the Maremma port to obedience to Siena. At the end of the month he reaches the Black Bands in Lombardy and takes part in the battle of Borgoforte, in which Giovanni dei Medici is mortally wounded. | ||
| ……………… | Siena | For the Talamone enterprise, the Sienese reward him with a gift of 40 ducats, payable over four years. He is also granted a monthly provision of 15 scudi and command of a company of 50 infantrymen. | |||
| 1528 | |||||
| ……………… | Siena | France | Remains on guard at Talamone. Attacks the frigate of a Genoese, a certain Manfrino, bound for Porto Ercole. | ||
| July | Goes out on patrol with 4 horsemen and near Talamone meets 5 horsemen, including Prete da Campiglia, captain of Sovana, and Triadano Corso. The latter, probably because of old grudges, hurls abuse at him and tries to attack him. Bartolomeo Peretti, later, finds him alone and kills him. The following year he commissions the murder of Captain Ippolito di Romano, assaulted by his men while on his way to his lands. The Sienese authorities always accept his justifications. | ||||
| 1529 | |||||
| Jan. | Siena | Church | At the end of the month he is at Castell’Ottieri with three other captains (Giacomo Corso, Prete da Campiglia and Prospero Gaspari) at the head of 250 infantrymen. From there he heads toward Campiglia d’Orcia, in Sienese territory. Once they arrive, the soldiers hide near the town gate. The captains, disguised as peasants, take the only sentry prisoner and tie him with an old rope found there. A cow tears the very worn rope, causing a loud noise with the impact. Hearing the commotion, the Sienese soldiers believe the enterprise has succeeded and so reveal themselves to the inhabitants, who are also alerted. The latter immediately close the gate. Peretti returns to Talamone, from where he watches over the militias of the count of Pitigliano Ludovico Orsini, who have taken to plundering that territory. | ||
| Aug. | Is sent to Grosseto with 30 infantrymen for fear of a conspiracy in that city in favor of Napoleone Orsini. | ||||
| 1530 | |||||
| Autumn | At the end of the war between the Florentines and the imperials he keeps in the Maremma about a thousand soldiers looking for pay; he maintains them at his own expense. | ||||
| 1531 | |||||
| Feb. | Moves with ten horsemen against some Spanish cappelletti (light cavalry) who have come close to Orbetello and the Cottoia, seizing mounts, donkeys and other goods. Bartolomeo Peretti confronts them, puts them to flight and takes four prisoners. The same evening he goes out again with twenty men and recovers mounts, mules, wine, oil and baggage previously taken by the stray Spanish soldiers at Montiano. Provides the tower of Collecchio with a garrison. | ||||
| Mar. | At the head of 300 infantrymen he tries in vain to retake Montiano by surprise. In the clash ten Spaniards are killed and another thirty are taken prisoner. At the end of the month he prepares an ambush with 200 infantrymen and twenty horsemen at the Fonte di Carlo, near Collecchio, against the light cavalry of Captain Onchola, returning from a cattle raid at Montalto. The Spaniards are put to flight; a large quantity of cattle is recovered, as well as 150 wild mares. | ||||
| ……………… | Complains to the Sienese authorities because the expenses he has borne for maintaining the soldiers under his orders are not recognized. A sum of 12,000 scudi is mentioned, which the republic will never reimburse. | ||||
| 1534 | |||||
| May | Sends 40 infantrymen to Castro to aid Pier Luigi Farnese, in dispute with the new count of Pitigliano Giovan Francesco Orsini. Goes to Valentano, where Pirro Colonna is also present, having likewise come to help Farnese. One of his soldiers quarrels with a squad leader of Colonna (Prete da Campiglia) in the town square; a clash follows that ends with the killing of three opponents and the wounding of three others. Farnese intervenes and the Sienese take the road back. | ||||
| June | Controls some companies of Spanish infantrymen passing through the Maremma; prevents them from entering Montiano. | ||||
| 1536 | |||||
| Apr. | 3 papal galleys led by Gentile Virginio Orsini sail in front of Talamone: Bartolomeo Peretti has the livestock moved away to prevent the sailors from supplying themselves with fresh meat at the expense of local breeders. | ||||
| Sept. | At the end of the month, because of bad weather, a French fleet of 20 galleys, accompanied by several other vessels such as frigates and brigantines, takes shelter for a few days in the roadstead of Santo Stefano. On board, escorted by Renzo di Ceri, are seven French cardinals who are going to Rome for the conclave in which Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (Paul III, Paolo III) will be elected pontiff. Bartolomeo Peretti supplies the French with provisions; then, since the bad weather shows no sign of abating, he escorts them by land toward the Papal States. | ||||
| Apr. | Has to ride with his soldiers to restore order at Montemerano and Saturnia, where numerous Spanish infantrymen quartered at Samprugnano have sacked the surrounding territory. Resorts to diplomacy; manages to convince the imperials to desist from the thefts through appropriate concessions; finally he leads them to Grosseto. | ||||
| 1537 | |||||
| Spring | Siena | Is still stationed at Talamone, of which he has been appointed podestà and castellan. In difficulty because of the unpaid wages of his men, as well as the delayed payment of his provision, he decides to turn to privateering with a galley of 21 benches. Buys the ship in Genoa; the vessel is towed to Talamone by the papal squadron of Gentile Virginio Orsini. Bartolomeo Peretti asks the republic of Siena to assign to him as rowers the convicts of the state’s prisons and to give him some pieces of artillery. His activity consists essentially in controlling the coasts of the Maremma and Talamone. | |||
| 1538 | |||||
| ……………… | Siena | Barbary corsairs | With his flotilla he joins the papal squadron under the orders of Gentile Virginio Orsini: he is aboard the galley “San Paolo del Conte”. | ||
| June | In the second half of the month he sails toward the island of Gorgona in search of Barbary fustas together with the galleys of Naples commanded by don Garcia of Toledo (don Garcia di Toledo). Meets Andrea Doria, who invites him to follow him to hunt the Barbary corsairs. | ||||
| Aug./Sept. | Is at his base of Talamone: he is concerned about the movements of Pier Luigi Farnese against Siena. | ||||
| 1539 | |||||
| May | Siena | Barbary corsairs | Cruises in the waters of Corsica. With his galley, five miles from the coast, he comes across 2 Barbary fustas. Sets off in pursuit; seizes the first and leaves twenty men aboard. Throws himself on the second and takes that ship too: about fifty Turks and Moors are captured, all sent to the oar. Six corsairs are killed in the clash. | ||
| June | Immediately after the successful enterprise he buys for 800 scudi (of which 600 in cash) a galliot of 19 benches without artillery. Bartolomeo Peretti stays for some days in Corsican waters. At Bastia he learns that 2 Barbary galliots are at Cape Corso. The corsair of Talamone heads there immediately with his ships: his 2 fustas, sent ahead as a vanguard, let themselves be chased by the opponents. The latter suddenly find themselves in front of his galley and the recently bought galliot. An exchange of cannon fire follows until a storm with driving rain and violent wind disrupts the formation of his flotilla, while the two Barbary galliots manage to lose their tracks. Back at Bastia, days later 5 galliots commanded by Scirocco pass nearby, returning from a raid along the coast of Orbetello. Bartolomeo Peretti attacks them with his galley alone and in the ensuing exchange of fire his 7 pieces of artillery sink one galliot. The governor of Bastia reproaches him for the danger incurred, not only because of the clear numerical inferiority, but also for the risk of a revolt by the Turkish slaves at the oar. From Corsica he sails for Talamone, placing himself at the disposal of the Sienese. Asks them for fifteen to twenty convicts to put at the oar of the galliot, just purchased, and a half cannon or a saker against his provision. Once in port, the same day the galleys of don Garcia of Toledo (don Garcia di Toledo) arrive with on board his sister Eleanor of Toledo (Eleonora Alvarez di Toledo), destined to become the wife of the duke of Florence Cosimo dei Medici. Bartolomeo Peretti sails with the Neapolitan galleys and escorts them to Livorno. | ||||
| 1540 | |||||
| ……………… | Church | Passes into the service of the papal forces with the post of lieutenant of Gentile Virginio Orsini. Siena offers to let him continue to fly the war flag of the republic on his galley. | |||
| Apr. | Receives pressing requests from the Sienese because of the famine that has struck Tuscany. Tries several times to divert ships loaded with wheat into the Maremma ports, cruising with his galleys in the Piombino channel and toward the island of Elba; he goes as far as Livorno. On the other hand he needs provisions for his crews (three moggia of wheat a day are required); he asks Siena once again for the delivery of prisoners so that he can use them as rowers. | ||||
| May | Watches over navigation in the Piombino channel. | ||||
| June/July | Leaves for Civitavecchia escorting a convoy of provisions; at the beginning of July he accompanies a cargo of wines and other foodstuffs coming from Naples. During this mission he does not fail to hunt Barbary ships. First he chases a galliot and a fusta; the coming of night does not allow him to capture them. Reaching the mouth of the Tiber he runs into another fusta that he loses sight of because of the darkness. Sets off in pursuit at first light; follows the coast to Ansedonia and heads for the island of Giannutri, a habitual refuge of corsair ships. Stops there; the following morning he turns back: at the Graticciaia, on the tombolo of the lake of Burano toward the Chiarone, he sights the fusta coming toward him. Attacks and captures it, taking about thirty Turks and Moors prisoner and at the same time freeing many Christian slaves from the oar. At the end of the operations he has his galley repaired using 50 or 60 trees from the pine forest of Orbetello. | ||||
| 1541 | |||||
| Mar. | Follows Gentile Virginio Orsini with the papal ships heading toward Naples in search of the corsair Dragut. | ||||
| Sept./Oct. | Church | Algiers | Leaves La Spezia with Gentile Virginio Orsini to support Andrea Doria in his expedition against Algiers. A strong storm disrupts the imperial fleet in front of that city. | ||
| 1542 | |||||
| May | Strengthens his flotilla with the purchase of a second galley, for which he again obtains from Siena the concession of some convicts. He now has 3 ships at his disposal: two galleys and a galliot. Command of the second galley is entrusted to his brother Girolamo. Previously the latter had run a great risk on the occasion of an attempted mutiny aboard the galley. After the revolt is quelled, some rebels are quartered; others are spared, including some Christians who took part in the revolt: they are condemned to the chain for life. | ||||
| 1543 | |||||
| Apr. | Church | Barbary corsairs | With the resignation of Gentile Virginio Orsini and his departure for France, Peretti obtains from Pope Paul III (Paolo III) command of 5 galleys of the papal squadron. | ||
| May | Reaches Malta to oppose the fleet of Barbarossa there. | ||||
| June | In mid-month, with the galleys of the Hospitaller order, he captures in Sicilian waters 2 galliots and a galleon bound for Algiers. 700 Turks are taken prisoner. | ||||
| Aug. | Stays several days in the roadstead of Santo Stefano at Argentario; takes advantage of this to be treated at Talamone for the first signs of the stone disease (male della pietra). Moves in search of corsair fustas toward Elba and Corsica. On the latter island he meets Gentile Virginio Orsini, to whom he probably hands over 2 of the 4 papal galleys belonging to the latter. | ||||
| Sept. | Returns from Malta to Civitavecchia. Having received new instructions, he returns there with 3 galleys. | ||||
| Oct./Dec. | Roams the Levant seas with 2 galleys and a galliot. Approaches the Dardanelles (Canakkale Bogazi), bringing desolation everywhere. On the island of Mytilene (Mitilini) he has the villa that Barbarossa had built there set on fire. Returns to Civitavecchia laden with prizes. Siena enrolls him in the city nobility. | ||||
| 1544 | |||||
| Jan. | The triumph is short-lived: soon disputes arise and accusations are made against him. He has to flee from Rome because of disagreements over the division of the booty; takes refuge at Talamone. Meanwhile his galleys anchored at Civitavecchia are seized; in the confusion most of the convicts escape. Bartolomeo Peretti has new attacks of kidney stones. At the end of the month he goes to Siena to be operated on. | ||||
| Feb. | Dies in Siena at the beginning of the month. The funeral takes place in the local church of San Francesco. His body is buried at Talamone in the church of Santa Maria. In June Barbarossa will land at that place; his corpse will be exhumed; the corpse will be ritually disemboweled, cut to pieces and burned in the public square together with the bodies of some officials and servants of his entourage. Also out of revenge, his ashes will be scattered. |
Sources
-“Uomo di grande valore.” GUGLIELMOTTI
-“Huomo valoroso in mare. SUMMONTE
-” Il Peretti è stato un importante condottiero italiano degli anni centrali delle guerre d’Italia, la cui figura è inspiegabilmente caduta nell’oblio..Un capitano di fanteria destinato a diventare l’ammiraglio della squadra navale senese, prima, e di quella pontificia, poi.. (Siena) paga il funerale di Bartolomeo Peretti per celebrare uno dei più grandi condottieri senesi. Peretti si era distinto non solo per il lungo e fedele servizio sotto le insegne di Siena, ma anche per aver compiuto imprese eccezionali in difesa della cristianità: ultima in ordine temporale, il saccheggio della villa di Barbarossa a Mitilene nell’estate 1543..Nella seconda metà del Cinquecento, la grandezza di Bartolomeo Peretti era ancora riconosciuta dai senesi che concessero al figlio Ottaviano di erigere nella chiesa di San Francesco a Siena una statua in onore di suo padre e la facoltà di apporvi una lapide celebrativa delle imprese di quest’ultimo. La statua e la lapide andranno distrutte nel 1655 quando la chiesa prese fuoco”. PESSINA
-“Fatto nobil Sanese per suo raro valore nell’armi”. UGURGIERI
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