The Barbary War (1701 - 1702)

[TLS]

The Barbary War


June 22, 1701

After centuries of atrocities at the hands of the villains of Barbary, the good Christian King of France--in tandem with his faithful son, the King of Naples, and his new vassal, the Knights of Malta--issues a declaration of war against the rulers of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. The King of France also sends an additional note to the Sublime Porte, informing Constantinople that the French view Barbary as a land outside the rule of the Ottomans, due to the proliferation of all manner of barbaric practices, and that France expects that the Sultan will not interfere in this war against lands which are de facto, and soon to be de jure, outside of his domain.

Combatants

Bourbon Crown
France
Naples
Knights of Malta

Barbary States
Algiers
Tripoli
Tunis

[Ottoman]

Due to historical rivalries between Sublime Porte and Barbary Beys in terms of lack of payment/tribute to the Sultan for past 10 years.. Imperial Ottoman government was less inclined to side with their rouge vassals on this matter. The Imperial government sends note to French stating they will not interfere with their operations against the North African States.

[Galveston Bay]

Summer and Fall 1701
The French and Neopolitans mobilize their armies and move them by barge, boat, and foot to their encampments for the campaign to come next year.

Marshal de Boufflers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis-Fran%C3%A7ois_de_Boufflers
is given command of the overall land campaign in North Africa and he is sent to Marseilles where he takes personal command of the Army de Tunisia
Vanguard: 4 infantry battalions, 2 cavalry regiments,
Main Body: 4 infantry brigades, 1 engineer brigade, 4 cavalry regiments
Reserve: 2 cavalry regiments
(all French)

At Montpelier, General Duc de Villars will command the Army de Algeria which will have
Vanguard: 4 infantry battalions, 2 cavalry regiments
Main Body: 2 infantry brigades, 4 cavalry regiments
Reserve: 2 cavalry regiments
(all French)

At Naples, Comte de Tesse will have the Army de Libya which will have (all Naples troops)
Main body: 10 infantry battalions
reserve: 3 cavalry regiments, 2 infantry battalions

Meanwhile the navies have been preparing all winter and spring for this war and they make sail to take up their stations as soon as orders are received

Naval Commander (overall campaign)
Admiral de Coetlogon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Emmanuel_de_Co%C3%ABtlogon
direct command: (Toulon Fleet) 1 Heavy BatRon (Royal Louis 110, Tonnant 90, Fier 94) 2 BatRon (Constant 72, Cesar 74, Mercure 54, Solide 54, Royale 72, Princess 72, Prudent 54, Mars 54) 2 Patron (24 Polaris class)(12 converted into fire ships)
mission: Bombardment and attack force
associated forces:
(Brest Fleet) 1 Heavy BatRon (Victorieux 108, Saint Espirit 94, Admirable 94) 2 BatRon (Juste 74, Superbe 74 Fleuron 64, Vigilant 64, Breze 74, Glorieux 72, Louvre 54, Oriflamme 54) 2 Patron (24 Starling class)(12 converted into fire ships) mission: 2nd Bombardment and attack force

Algiers blockade: 1 BatRon (from Brest, Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64) 2 CruRon (from Toulon, Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22 Helene 40, Mignonne 24, Brune 22, Blonde 22), 2 Patron (Amythest class, from East Indies fleet)
Tunis blockade: 1 BatRon (from Toulon, Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64) 2 CruRon (from Toulon, Hermoine 38 Echo 22, Gracieuse 20, Favorite 22, Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22)
2 Neopolitan PatRon (24 Sirene class Brigs)

Patrol Line (Sicily/Malta/Gulf of Tunis line)
4 Neopolitan CruRon (Colonna 42, Palermo 26, Syracuse 26, Catania 22, Roberto Guiscardo 42, Marsala 26, Modica 26, Vittorio 22, Peter Di Aragona 42, Apulio 26, Campania 26, Molise 22, James Redemptor Mundi 42, Bari 26, Foggia 26, Taranto 22) 2 Neopolitan PatRon (24 Sirene class Brigs)

Initially the Austrians and Knights of Malta are asked politely to sweep the Western Mediterranean Sea of Barbary pirates while Brest Fleet has its orders changed and is sent to the narrow waters between Tangiers and Gibraltar to hold that bottleneck shut. A planned immediate attack by the Toulon Fleet is cancelled and it is ordered to instead blockade Tripoli.

[TLS]

Barbary War, Summer 1701

July

The French fleets set their battle plans into motion, with the mighty French ships arriving in their positions by mid-July. They come with the singular missions of destroying the ships of the Barbary states in port by establishing their blockades. The French fleets are able to make short work of the the few ships in the blockaded ports of Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli at the cost of little damage (3 Barbary PatRons sunk, 1 French PatRon [Tunis blockade] moderately damaged]). However, the French fleets were under order to capture and sink the preponderance of the pirate fleets, and are dismayed to find that only token naval forces were left for them to destroy. It is quickly apparent that the Lords of Barbary had either been informed of, or at least were observant enough to deduce, the French fleet actions, and had dispersed their ships to the myriad coves and inlets of the coast. However, though the French are denied the crushing naval victories they were hoping for, they now have the major ports of the coast under blockade, and thus hopefully have begun starving the local rulers of their access to slaves and treasure.

Over the remainder of the turn, part of the sweep by the Knights of Malta (1 CruRon, 2 PatRon) are able to engage a small squadron of pirates (2 PatRons), but the engagement is indecisive and the Barbary Pirates are able to break away before either side incurs too much damage (no solid hits are incurred on either side, and the Pirates have an interest in breaking away). The Mediterranean is, after all, still open sea, and intercepting the nimble corsair fleets remains a challenge.

Casualties by end of Turn

France
1 PatRon damaged, 1 point (1 turn) to repair.

Barbary Pirates
3 PatRons destroyed

[Galveston Bay]

After the catch is small at Algiers and Tunis, the navies of the Christian powers are reorganized to widen the net.

Blocking Force (Gibraltar Fleet) Ships rotate in and out of Lisbon to take on stores and water
2 BatRon (Constant 72, Cesar 74, Mercure 54, Solide 54, Royale 72, Princess 72, Prudent 54, Mars 54)
2 CruRon (Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22 Helene 40, Mignonne 24, Brune 22, Blonde 22)
Mission: Block Algerian, Tunisian and Libyan pirates from entering or returning from the Atlantic, secondary mission: Intimidate Moroccan pirates

Attack Forces
Algerian coastal Sweep: targets: Oran, Mostaganem, Algiers
1 Heavy BatRon (Victorieux 108, Saint Espirit 94, Admirable 94) 1 CruRon ( Hermoine 38 Echo 22, Gracieuse 20, Favorite 22), 1 PatRon (12 Polaris class, another 12 are in dock at Marseille awaiting repair)
Mission: sweep the coast, destroy enemy warships, shipping, bombard ports, launch cutting out expeditions using marines and sailors to get to ships in shallow lagoons (this force can field up to 500 marines and a similar number of sailors for that kind of thing, which junior officers love because have you read “Horatio Hornblower”)
http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/algeria-map.jpg

Eastern Algerian coastal sweep: targets: Bejaia, Jijel, Skikda, Annaba (Bone)
2 BatRon ( Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64, Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64) 2 PatRon ((24 Starling class)

Libyan eastern coastal Sweep: targets: Bardia, Tobruk, Susah, Al Marj, Benghazi)
1 Heavy BatRon (Royal Louis 110, Tonnant 90, Fier 94) 1 CruRon ( Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22), 1 PatRon (12 Maltese St Maria class) (same mission as Algerian sweep)
http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/libya-map.jpg

Libyan western coastal sweep: targets: Sindra, Tripoli,
2 BatRon (Juste 74, Superbe 74 Fleuron 64, Vigilant 64, Breze 74, Glorieux 72, Louvre 54, Oriflamme 54) 1 PatRon (12 Maltese St Maria class) same mission as Algerian sweep)

Tunisian coastal sweep: Targets: Bizerte, Tunis, Nabeul, Sousse, Mahdia, Sfax, Gabes
Knights of Malta
-2 CruRon (Lepanto 44, Cotonor 28, Redin 28, de Valette 24 Malta 44, L'Isle-Adam 28, de Monte 28, de Paulle 24) (named for battles and Grand Masters) 1 Patron (12 St Maria class brigs)(named for Catholic Saints)
http://www.worldportsource.com/images/maps/tunisia_pol_1990.jpg

Escort Fleet
4 Neopolitan CruRon (Colonna 42, Palermo 26, Syracuse 26, Catania 22, Roberto Guiscardo 42, Marsala 26, Modica 26, Vittorio 22, Peter Di Aragona 42, Apulio 26, Campania 26, Molise 22, James Redemptor Mundi 42, Bari 26, Foggia 26, Taranto 22) 4 Neopolitan PatRon (48 Sirene class Brigs)
mission: Escort convoys out of Naples and Marseilles to Lisbon

These missions will continue into Winter 1702

[TLS]

Barbary War at Sea

Fall, 1701

The French and allies methodically attempt to wipe out the coastal coves of the Barbary pirates, and engage in a scientific campaign to do so. They arrive at a port, inlet, or cove, unleash broadsides, storm ashore, and generally find an abandoned series of makeshift wharves, piers, and shacks. The corsairs are at home in these lands, and have strategically placed watchtowers, fishermen on the take, and general command of the loyalty and terrain. The French dragnets are not entirely ineffective--the equivalent of 2 PatRons are destroyed in these sweeps--as sometimes the watchtowers are off guard, there are no strategically placed fishermen, or the weather gauge keeps the ships stuck in port. Additionally, the corsairs soon catch on to the tactics, and occasionally leave men behind with the express goal of ambushing the landing parties that wade gung-ho to raid the pirate installations--inflicting decent casualties on the French sailors and marines (East Algerian and Tunisian fleets incur damage hits on 1 PatRon each, requiring 1 point and 1 turn of repairs each). The strategy is slowly making progress towards hemming in the Corsairs, but this is clearly their home, not that of the infidel Europeans.

At sea, the nimble Barbary fleets are generally able to slip in and out of the Bourbon fleets, but are not entirely successful. One Barbary PatRon is intercepted attempting to run the patrol in the Strait of Gibraltar and is captured, while the Bourbons are additionally able to effectively sink or capture all of the merchant vessels which fly the flags of the individual Barbary states (1 commercial fleet destroyed, 1 captured by Naples). The pirates, aware that their naval capacity is limited without any safe docks they can turn to, generally play it conservatively, but some captains can’t resist striking at the rich convoys sailing between Marseilles and Lisbon. Off the Canary Islands a squadron of 3 Corsair PatRons intercepts a Neapolitan convoy of a French commercial vessel, 1 CruRon, and 2 PatRons. In the ensuing struggle the Corsairs disable the 2 Neapolitan PatRons (both are damaged and sent back to port) at the cost of two of their PatRons being damaged (there are no repair facilities, so they amalgamate the remaining ships into 1 PatRon) before they’re driven off.

Casualties

France and Allies
1 French PatRon Damaged (1 point, 1 turn to repair)
1 Knights PatRon damaged (1 point, 1 turn to repair)
2 Neapolitan PatRons damaged (1 point, 1 turn to repair each)

Barbary Pirates
1 PatRon captured (France)
2 PatRons destroyed
2 PatRons damaged (combined into 1)
1 commercial fleet sunk
1 commercial fleet captured (Naples)

Estimated naval forces in theater at end of 1701

Barbary Pirates
-Between 6-10 PatRons

[Galveston Bay]

Winter 1702
Pleased by the results gained so far, the French and associated Navies continue their operations. However, the Heavy BatRons are too slow and deep draft to operate off the North African coast aside from far offshore and to avoid risk of losing one to grounding, the remaining 2 Heavy BatRons are laid up and their crews reassigned to other duties, including manning an entire PatRon of Barbary prizes.

Those prizes, along with 2 merchant flotillas from Malta carrying 10,000 infantry (10 bns) supported by 8 Ships of the Line will assault Tripoli itself. With any luck the Barbary prizes, which will spearhead the attack, will confuse the defenders just long enough for the heavy ships to enter the harbor, silence the heavy guns and allow marines and sailors to assault the city from the harbor while the Italian infantry are landed on the beach a few miles away and assault the walls. A risky plan, but worth attempting in the eyes of the commanders. Admiral Coelogen himself will direct this action.

Elsewhere the rest of the Navy continues its missions from Fall 1701

Blocking Force (Gibraltar Fleet) Ships rotate in and out of Lisbon to take on stores and water
2 BatRon (Constant 72, Cesar 74, Mercure 54, Solide 54, Royale 72, Princess 72, Prudent 54, Mars 54)
2 CruRon (Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22 Helene 40, Mignonne 24, Brune 22, Blonde 22)
Mission: Block Algerian, Tunisian and Libyan pirates from entering or returning from the Atlantic, secondary mission: Intimidate Moroccan pirates

Attack Forces
Algerian coastal Sweep: targets: Oran, Mostaganem, Algiers
1 CruRon ( Hermoine 38 Echo 22, Gracieuse 20, Favorite 22), 1 PatRon (12 Polaris class,
Mission: sweep the coast, destroy enemy warships, shipping, bombard ports, burn towns, launch cutting out expeditions using, marines and sailors to get to ships in shallow lagoons
http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/algeria-map.jpg

Eastern Algerian coastal sweep: targets: Bejaia, Jijel, Skikda, Annaba (Bone)
2 BatRon ( Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64, Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64) 2 PatRon ((24 Starling class)

Libyan eastern coastal Sweep: targets: Bardia, Tobruk, Susah, Al Marj, Benghazi)
1 CruRon ( Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22), 1 PatRon (12 Maltese St Maria class) (same mission as Algerian sweep),
http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/libya-map.jpg

Libyan western coastal sweep: targets: Sindra, Tripoli,
2 BatRon (Juste 74, Superbe 74 Fleuron 64, Vigilant 64, Breze 74, Glorieux 72, Louvre 54, Oriflamme 54) 1 PatRon (12 Maltese St Maria class) same mission as Algerian sweep), 1 Malta Commercial fleet w 10 southern Italian Infantry Battalions (to seize Tripoli with heavy gunfire support from BatRons) plus 1 Patron (Barbary Prizes)

Tunisian coastal sweep: Targets: Bizerte, Tunis, Nabeul, Sousse, Mahdia, Sfax, Gabes
Knights of Malta
-2 CruRon (Lepanto 44, Cotonor 28, Redin 28, de Valette 24 Malta 44, L'Isle-Adam 28, de Monte 28, de Paulle 24) (named for battles and Grand Masters) 1 Patron (12 St Maria class brigs)(named for Catholic Saints)
http://www.worldportsource.com/images/maps/tunisia_pol_1990.jpg

Escort Fleet
4 Neopolitan CruRon (Colonna 42, Palermo 26, Syracuse 26, Catania 22, Roberto Guiscardo 42, Marsala 26, Modica 26, Vittorio 22, Peter Di Aragona 42, Apulio 26, Campania 26, Molise 22, James Redemptor Mundi 42, Bari 26, Foggia 26, Taranto 22) 2 Neopolitan PatRon (48 Sirene class Brigs)
mission: Escort convoys out of Naples and Marseilles to Lisbon

(2 French, 1 Maltese, 2 Naples PatRons rejoin operations in the Spring 1702)

[TLS]

Barbary War at Sea

Winter, 1702

The Bourbon blockade and sweep continues into the spring, with similar results as before. The Bourbons and their allies are able to slowly hamper and destroy pirate bases and coves and continue to catch sufficient ships on shore or at anchorage that the corsair fleets continue to take ever unsustainable losses (2 Corsair PatRons destroyed) at the cost of a few French raiding parties caught off guard (1 PatRon from the Eastern Algerian Coastal Sweep damaged, 1 point, 1 turn to repair).

The Corsairs aren't content to cede the initiative to the French, however, and soon come to realize that the French are both taking ships off of the rotation (due to the prohibitive cost) and re-allocating them for service in other sectors. The Dey of Algiers, Hadji Mustapha, is able to take advantage of the fact that the Bourbon fleet has to stay close to the shore to complete its mission to keep eyes on it. By late January, when the Bourbon fleet is moving from Oran to Algiers on another sweep, he orders his assembled naval forces to strike and try to score a fatal blow.

Battle of the Cape of Tipaza, January 28

France
1 CruRon
1 PatRon

Barbary Pirates
6 PatRon

The Corsair fleet waits behind the Cape of Tipaza as the French fleet heads east, and (due to the constant stream of reports from lookouts along the coast) is able to catch the French fleet off guard. The pirate vessels are able to swarm over the French PatRon and quickly knock it out of commission, but are unable to score such a decisive victory over the French CruRon. Throughout the night the French ships exchange fire and sink corsair vessel after vessel, but all the while their ships take more and more damage. As night falls, the French believe they’ve beaten off the attack, when the commander looks out in horror at flames in the water racing towards his ships. Hemmed in by the small corsair vessels and the coast, the French ships are at the full receiving end of the fire ship onslaught. The French CruRon is destroyed, and the survivors who make it to shore are quickly captured and trundled into the mountains by the waiting forces. The Corsairs have scored a victory for morale, but at the cost of almost the entirety of the fleet of the Dey of Algiers.

Casualties of the Battle of Cape Tiraza

France and Allies
1 French PatRon Damaged (1 point, 1 turn to repair)
1 French CruRon destroyed
1 French PatRon damaged, captured (combined with Pirate PatRon)

Barbary Pirates
3 PatRons destroyed
3 PatRons damaged (combined into 2 by taking captured French PatRon ships)

Estimated naval forces in theater at end of Winter, 1702

Barbary Pirates
-Between 4-6 PatRons

Battle of Tripoli, February 6

France and Allies
2 BatRon
1 PatRon
10 Neapolitan Infantry Battalions

Barbary Pirates
1 Fortress
1 Infantry Brigade
3 Militia Infantry Brigades

The Bourbons do not spend the entire season on autopilot, however, as they decide to start striking at the political hubs of the Barbary states. The French admiral hatches a plan to try and circumvent the coastal defenses of Tripoli, by utilizing captured pirate ships as a smokescreen to force the entry of French landing forces under fire. Tripoli’s geography, however, means that the port is more an assemblage of open piers facing the open sea, and the approach of the French prizes serves more to alert the defenders than to provide a Trojan Horse moment. The actions of the French fleet, however, do serve to distract the cannons of the fortress, giving the Neapolitan infantry the benefit of not dealing with the entrenched artillery positions.

Over the course of the day’s fighting, the differences between the fighting between the fighting on one end of the Ottoman Empire (Constantinople’s fight with the Arabians) and this end is made abundantly clear. These are not backwards tribesmen, but warriors on the periphery of the European military sphere. Though the Bourbons have a technological advantage, the Corsairs are able to field more coherent military units than their Arabian cousins (TL 2 units can never have a combat value higher than 1, a restriction which doesn’t apply to the TL 2.5 Barbary Pirates).

The planned early blow against the fortress at Tripoli doesn’t materialize, and the French fleet is occupied with the guns of the fort throughout the day. Eventually the guns are silenced, but not before the French fleet suffers heavy losses (1 BatRon lightly damaged, 1 BatRon sunk, 1 PatRon damaged) in the exchange with the coastal batteries. The fortress being distracted by the naval forces is what ultimately sways the day in favor of the Neapolitan infantry on the attack (who are fighting with no bonus, as any they would have is negated by the fact they’re essentially attempting a naval invasion against an urban center), and the brave Italians send wave after wave into the breaches of the fortress until by sheer force of will they overcome the corsair defenders. In the process they suffer heavy casualties, however, and though they hold the port now have to contend with the fact that they hold a burnt-out cove against the salt sea on the one side and the sandy wastes on the other.

Casualties of the Battle of Tripoli

France and Allies
1 French PatRon Damaged (1 point, 1 turn to repair)
1 French BatRon destroyed
1 French BatRon damaged (2 points, 1 turn to repair)
8 Neapolitan Infantry battalions shattered, combined into 4 (Total: 4,000; 2,300 dead, 1,700 wounded)

Barbary Pirates (Total: 12,500; 3,900 killed, 8,100 captured [of whom 2,600 wounded])
1 Fortress destroyed (Total: 2,500; 900 killed, 1,600 captured [of whom 600 wounded])
1 Infantry Brigade shattered, captured (Total: 2,500; 1,000 killed, 1,500 captured [of whom 500 wounded])
3 Militia brigades shattered, captured (Total: 7,500; 2,000 killed, 5,000 captured [of whom 1,500 wounded])

[Galveston Bay]

Spring 1702
The heavy losses at Tripoli and off Algeria are troubling and failure of the trojan horse attempt is a serious disappointment.   However, although far more costly than hoped for, one of the major objectives of the campaign has been achieved.   Tripoli has been conquered and although at present is has been made into a desert in the name of peace, it can be rebuilt and repopulated.   Just as important, the Navies have managed to destroy or capture or badly maul 14 Pirate flotillas (over 150 ships, not counting those that merged into other flotillas due to losses), and kill or capture at least 25,000 enemy.  

This is celebrated with balls and parades at all coastal cities in the two realms of Naples and France.

What is carefully not mentioned is the loss of 4 ships of the line sunk in battle, with heavy casualties, as well as the loss of 12 brigs to enemy capture not to mention the loss of 4 frigates in battle.  Nor is it emphasized that nearly 10,000 sailors, soldiers and marines have fallen or been captured.  The war goes on however.    Merchant ships acting as transports carry reinforcements to Tripoli, while hauling away nearly 20,000 captured enemy sailors and soldiers and other civilian men rounded up along with nearly 1,000 women of child bearing age.  These sold to the French West Africa company and are transported to French Guiana.    Although Yellow Fever, Malaria and poor conditions during transportation will kill nearly 70% of these slaves, enough will survive to be of profit.   Christians and Jews who live in Tripoli are left unmolested, while those held captive are transported by navy ships to Malta for eventual return to their homelands.  
 

Disposition of forces Spring 1702
1st Escort Fleet 2 BatRon ( Phenix 74, Esperance 74, Trident 64, Triton 64, Sceptre 74, Bourbon 74, Jason 64, Achille 64) 2 PatRon ((24 Starling class) 2 commercial flotillas – evacuate remaining troops and carry off everything not nailed down from Tripoli to Naples.  Mission: cover movement of transports to and from Libya to Naples

2nd Escort Fleet 2 BatRon (Constant 72, Cesar 74, Mercure 54, Solide 54, Royale 72, Princess 72, Prudent 54, Mars 54) 2 CruRon (Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22 Helene 40, Mignonne 24, Brune 22, Blonde 22)
mission: departs Gibraltar patrol to cover shipping moving from France/Italy to Lisbon (Portuguese cover shipping leaving from there)

Sicily/Malta/Gulf of Tunis Patrol Line
2 BatRon (Intrepide 76, Prompt 76, Fortun 54, Maure 54, Parfait 74, Saint Micheal 74, Indien 58, Bone 58,) 1 CruRon ( Fortunee 38, Oiseau 22, Pelerine 22), 1 PatRon (12 Maltese St Maria class) 1 Patron (12 French Patrons)
Mission: interdict any Barbary pirates from traveling from Eastern to Western Med and vice versa, also keep an eye on any of the European fleets traveling through the area.  

Tunisian Coastal Sweep
moving from the north
4 Neopolitan CruRon (Colonna 42, Palermo 26, Syracuse 26, Catania 22, Roberto Guiscardo 42, Marsala 26, Modica 26, Vittorio 22, Peter Di Aragona 42, Apulio 26, Campania 26, Molise 22, James Redemptor Mundi 42, Bari 26, Foggia 26, Taranto 22) 4 Neopolitan PatRon (48 Sirene class Brigs)
moving from the south
-2 CruRon (Lepanto 44, Cotonor 28, Redin 28, de Valette 24 Malta 44, L'Isle-Adam 28, de Monte 28, de Paulle 24) (named for battles and Grand Masters) 2 Patron (12 St Maria class brigs)(named for Catholic Saints)



The Lorient Fleet, with 2 Batron and 1 Cruron continues its annual cruise from Lorient (leaving in early winter) to the Caribbean to cover convoys, departing the Caribbean by July 1 to avoid the worst of Yellow Fever and Hurricane Season, voyaging to Canada to pick up ships departing no later than October 1 to avoid the North Atlantic storm season and icing over of the St Lawrence River.

(ooc: when I first posted this apparently not everything got picked up by my cut and paste)

[Galveston Bay]

Continued from 1701
The French continue their discussion with the Ottoman Empire. The two nations have a long history of friendly relations, indeed a near alliance, and in the spirit of this, the French agree to withdraw from Libya and allow the Ottoman Empire to fully assert its authority with the promise that the Ottomans will allow no more piracy from Libyan ports. The formal treaty is still being finalized into the spring of 1702.

[Hussam B.]

Following talks in Barcelona, the Spanish Mediterranean territorial fleets are reorganized and supplemented by the Atlantic Escort fleet to protect Latin shipping through the straits of Gibraltar.

1st Escort Fleet - Valencia:

Mission: Escort commercial flotillas travelling between the ports of Cartagena and Cadiz through Gibraltar

2nd Escort Fleet - Seville:

Mission: Escort commercial flotillas travelling between the ports of Barcelona and Cartagena in the Western Mediterranean.

[Ottoman]

The Ottomans send peace envoy to start discussions between French/allies and the North African rouge vassals(Barbary).

The following terms are presented to the Barbary Beys

1. Barbary Beys will release their POWs. The French and their allies will release their POWs to Ottomans.(however the POWs from Tripoli are included in this deal)
2.Barbary Beys agree not to molest French, Portuguese, and Spanish shipping for 10 years with talks to happen at the 9 year mark.
3. The Barbary Beys of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica will submit to direct Ottoman rule.
4. The Barbary Beys of Algiers/Tunis will pledge a oath of allegiance to the Sultan and will remain loyal vassals to Sultan. (symbolical at this point)
5. No monetary payments to either side.

Should the Barbary Beys agreed to these terms, the treaty will be signed in Ottoman Crete with the Sultan hosting the talks.

[Galveston Bay]

The French indicate strong interest, mainly because the war is turning out to be more expensive than planned and it would appear that the Bourbon position was not as strong as initially assumed.

However prisoners taken in Libya are not included in the deal, and all prisoners will be exchanged via ports in Greece and Crete (for ease of access to both). As a symbol of good faith, beginning in the summer the raids on Algeria and Tunisia will end.

[TLS]

Barbary War at Sea

Spring, 1702

As the season begins the Neapolitans, realizing all they've earned is a burnt-out husk by the sea, are withdrawn from Tripoli, taking with them the 8,000 women and children remaining in the city to be sold as slaves. Of course, this does nothing for the reputation of the French, as such behavior is seen as barbarity surpassing that of the pirates. However the Corsairs are in no position to intercede and prevent the destruction of Tripoli and its human population.

As the season wears on, the pirates are left with no meaningful naval forces to intercede against the French, either at sea or by raiding the French shore. The Tunisian coastal sweep manages to catch 3 of the remaining Barbary PatRons ashore, scuttling them, at the cost of 1 Neapolitan PatRon disrupted. Otherwise, however, the pirates are left with only token vessels, huddling and hiding from the Bourbons. The Corsair commanders, and their royal patrons, have decided that the seas are lost (for now) and that the only course of action is to await the possible French invasion.

Casualties

France and Allies
1 Neapolitan PatRon Damaged (1 point, 1 turn to repair)

Barbary Pirates
3 PatRons destroyed

Estimated naval forces in theater at end of turn

Barbary Pirates
-Between 2-5 Patrons

[TLS]

The Ottomans send peace envoy to start discussions between French/allies and the North African rouge vassals(Barbary).

The following terms are presented to the Barbary Beys

1.  Barbary Beys will release their POWs. The French and their allies will release their POWs to Ottomans.(however the POWs from Tripoli are included in this deal)
2.Barbary Beys agree not to molest French, Portuguese, and Spanish shipping for 10 years with talks to happen at the 9 year mark.  
3.  The Barbary Beys of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica will submit to direct Ottoman rule.
4. The Barbary Beys of Algiers/Tunis will pledge a oath of allegiance to the Sultan and will remain loyal vassals to Sultan. (symbolical at this point)
5. No monetary payments to either side.

Should the Barbary Beys agreed to these terms, the treaty will be signed in Ottoman Crete with the Sultan hosting the talks.

The Barbary Beys of Algeria and Tunis flat-out refuse to countenance returning to the fold of the Ottoman Empire after they were so thoroughly abandoned by their supposed sovereigns. If there must be a third-party guarantor, they would rather the Kingdom of Morocco be given that role, rather than the perfidious and treacherous Turk. Otherwise, they are willing to abide by the prohibitions put forward to halt offensive activities against the kuffar in the Mediterranean.

The Beys of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, however, have suffered much more brutally at the hands of the French--Tripolitania effectively no longer exists as a state, and Cyrenaica is within marching distance of the Empire. As such, they agree to submit to Ottoman rule.

[Ottoman]

The Ottomans reject the idea of having the Sultan of Morocco have oversight of their rightfully vassals. The Ottomans pointed out that the Barbary Beys disloyalty to the Sultan for the past 10 years(i.e lack of payment to the Sultan). Which has lead to the current state of affairs that have affected them. The Ottomans demand they accept the deal or face more French attacks.

[TLS]

The Ottomans reject the idea of having the Sultan of Morocco have oversight of their rightfully vassals.  The Ottomans pointed out that the Barbary Beys disloyalty to the Sultan for the past 10 years(i.e lack of payment to the Sultan). Which has lead to the current state of affairs that have affected them. The Ottomans demand they accept the deal or face more French attacks.

The rulers of Algeria and Tunisia continue to refuse to recognize the sovereignty of the Sultan, and note that they welcome any invader (be it the French or the Turk) to try and wrest control of their lands. The trials and tribulations of the Neapolitans in Tripoli or the Ottomans in Yemen will be multiplied 10-fold if they attempt to march an army into the High Atlas. They continue to offer the terms to the French of accepting the offer otherwise put forth (to refrain from raiding) but will never accept a treaty which subjugates them once more to Constantinople.

Morocco makes it known that it will vouch for the Algerians and Tunisians adhering to the treaty, and notes that the King of Morocco has successfully interceded with corsairs to curtail their activities in the past. No one wants this war to continue any longer, and the Barbary Lords are willing to grant the French King's desire for peace if only they are no longer forced to serve a distant and unresponsive sovereign.

[Galveston Bay]

The French response is that if the conditions other than Ottoman overlordship are accepted, then a peace can be found. As a symbol of good faith the Crown in Naples orders the women and children taken from Tripoli to be sent to Morocco where they can be with their own kind. Once of course all Christian prisoners are returned.

[Ottoman]

The Ottomans not willing to push the matter any futher for now, drop their demands for loyalty for now and decide to focus on rebuiding Tripoli.

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