The Portuguese expedition to Otranto in 1481, which the Portuguese call the Turkish Crusade (Portuguese: Cruzada Turca), arrived too late to participate in any fighting. On 8 April 1481, Pope Sixtus IV issued the papal bullCogimur iubente altissimo, which called for a crusade against the Ottomans, who had occupied Otranto, in southern Italy. The Pope's intention was that after recapturing Otranto, the crusaders would cross the Adriatic and liberate Vlorë (Valona) as well.
Portugal decided to send a squadron into Otranto under command of the bishop of Évora, Garcia de Meneses. In a letter dated 27 August 1481 to Cardinal Paolo di Campofregoso, Sixtus wrote, "From Portugal there are twenty caravels and a cargo ship that we expect on the day at St Paul's, whose leader is a venerable brother Garcia, bishop of Évora".[1] On 7 September, Sixtus wrote to King Ferdinand I of Naples, le to inform him that "a fleet which we sent for proceeds to Otranto from Portugal.... We hope it will be of great use in the assault on Otranto...".[2] On 14 September, the very day that the Ottomans surrendered Otranto, the Pope was writing from Bracciano to his vice-chamberlain, who had informed him of the slow progress of the Portuguese fleet. Sixtus was suspicious of Garcia's intentions. The next day, he wrote to the bishop and praised him for his diligence and caution but urged him to take his fleet to Vlorë to oust the Ottoman garrison there to do "something worthy of the Christian religion and your honor and that of your king" in referenve to the recently-deceased King Afonso V. Sixtus also urged Garcia to take Andreas Palaiologos, the deposed despot of Morea, back to Greece to begin the reconquest of his lands.[3]
When the Portuguese reached Naples, the Ottomans had already withdrawn, because on May 3, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II had died, and quarrels about his succession then ensued.
Notesedit
^Ex Po[r]tugallia viginti adsunt caravelle et navis una oneraria quas in dies apud Sanctum Paulum expectamus quarum prefectus est venerabilis frater Garsias episcopus Elborensis.
^proficiscitur Hydruntum classis quam ex Portugallia accersivimus.... Speramus illam magno usui Hydruntine expugnationi futuram....
^All quotations from Sixtus's letters can be found in Setton, K. M. (1978). The Papacy and the Levant, 1204–1571. Vol. 2. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society. pp. 371–72.
Further readingedit
Dias Vicente, João (1974). "Participação portuguesa na recuperação de Otranto (1481)". Itinerarium. 20 (83): 26–54.
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portuguese, expedition, otranto, 1481, which, portuguese, call, turkish, crusade, portuguese, cruzada, turca, arrived, late, participate, fighting, april, 1481, pope, sixtus, issued, papal, bull, cogimur, iubente, altissimo, which, called, crusade, against, ot. The Portuguese expedition to Otranto in 1481 which the Portuguese call the Turkish Crusade Portuguese Cruzada Turca arrived too late to participate in any fighting On 8 April 1481 Pope Sixtus IV issued the papal bull Cogimur iubente altissimo which called for a crusade against the Ottomans who had occupied Otranto in southern Italy The Pope s intention was that after recapturing Otranto the crusaders would cross the Adriatic and liberate Vlore Valona as well Portugal decided to send a squadron into Otranto under command of the bishop of Evora Garcia de Meneses In a letter dated 27 August 1481 to Cardinal Paolo di Campofregoso Sixtus wrote From Portugal there are twenty caravels and a cargo ship that we expect on the day at St Paul s whose leader is a venerable brother Garcia bishop of Evora 1 On 7 September Sixtus wrote to King Ferdinand I of Naples le to inform him that a fleet which we sent for proceeds to Otranto from Portugal We hope it will be of great use in the assault on Otranto 2 On 14 September the very day that the Ottomans surrendered Otranto the Pope was writing from Bracciano to his vice chamberlain who had informed him of the slow progress of the Portuguese fleet Sixtus was suspicious of Garcia s intentions The next day he wrote to the bishop and praised him for his diligence and caution but urged him to take his fleet to Vlore to oust the Ottoman garrison there to do something worthy of the Christian religion and your honor and that of your king in referenve to the recently deceased King Afonso V Sixtus also urged Garcia to take Andreas Palaiologos the deposed despot of Morea back to Greece to begin the reconquest of his lands 3 When the Portuguese reached Naples the Ottomans had already withdrawn because on May 3 Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II had died and quarrels about his succession then ensued Notes edit Ex Po r tugallia viginti adsunt caravelle et navis una oneraria quas in dies apud Sanctum Paulum expectamus quarum prefectus est venerabilis frater Garsias episcopus Elborensis proficiscitur Hydruntum classis quam ex Portugallia accersivimus Speramus illam magno usui Hydruntine expugnationi futuram All quotations from Sixtus s letters can be found in Setton K M 1978 The Papacy and the Levant 1204 1571 Vol 2 Philadelphia American Philosophical Society pp 371 72 Further reading editDias Vicente Joao 1974 Participacao portuguesa na recuperacao de Otranto 1481 Itinerarium 20 83 26 54 nbsp This article on military history is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This Portugal related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Portuguese expedition to Otranto amp oldid 1210517802, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
