Coron.

COron has a strong and advantagi∣ous Situation in the Province of Belvedere, the most Fertile and Rich in the whole Kingdom, and which was part of the Ancient Messenia, at about ten Miles distance by Land, and Page  62 twenty by Sea from Modon; on the right side of Cape Gallo, by Ptolomey called Acritas Promontorium; Strabo and Pliny knew it by the same name, which was given it upon the account of what happened when its Founda∣tions were laid; for in digging they found a Sea Swallow, by the Greek• called Coronis, and as an happy Pre∣sage of future Prosperity, they named this City from the Bird, Coron.

It was once a Bishops Seat, Suffra∣gan * to the Bishop of Patras, and at an∣other time 'twas reckoned a Colony of the Thebans, which the Poets called Pedosus; Laurenberg, Nisi: and Pau∣sanias, Epea, and all the Ancient and Modern Historians make honourable mention thereof.

It makes the Figure of a Scalen• Triangle, and in one of its Angles i• a great Tower, built by the Venetian• Anno 1463. for a Magazin; the o∣ther two sides, which are not was•• by the Gulf of Coron, leave a suffici∣ent space fit for the Tower of th• Fortress, which is encompass'd with an old Wall of an unequal thickness flanked with great Towers, and a•Page  63 some Paces from thence on the North •de there is a Suburbs of 500 Houses.

Since it has been several times expo∣•ed to the Assaults of the Enemy, so it •as been often forced in different Ages •o pay Tribute to different Nations. Baudrand has thought it was yielded up to the Venetian Republick by the Despotes, Princes of the Morea; and Verdizotti says that at the time of the Division of the Graecian Empire, and in the same year that this glorious Re∣publick, having made Alliances with several Princes, thought upon the gaining of this Kingdom, Coron was assigned for its Portion.

It was surprised Anno 1204. by Le∣on*Veteran, a Genoese by Nation, and Pirate by Profession, who enjoyed not long his unjust Triumph, for be∣ing taken on the Hellespont, as we said before, he was put to Death by the common Hangman at Corfu; whose death being known to his Compani∣ons, all in amazement and disorder, they sought safety by an hasty flight; at whose dispersion the Inhabitants of Coron after some slight Attempts sub∣mitted themselves to the Venetians.

Page  64Bajazet the Second Emperour of the East, all inflamed with the desire of extending the Bounds of his Empire Anno 1498. marched with a powerful Army strait to Modon, which having gained, he turned his Victorious Arms against Coron, which he could no otherwise win but by force.

In the Year 1533. the General Do∣ria, who had under his command a Spanish Armado of 35 great Vessels, and 48 Gallies with a design of envi∣roning this City, caused a great num∣ber of Troops as well Spaniards as Ita∣lians, the later under two Captains, Girolamo Tuttavilla and the Count Sarno, and the Spaniards Command∣ed by Girolamo Mendozza. These three Commanders following the or∣der of their General, began with four∣teen Cannon to batter the City, and to gain Entrance by a large breach; but this Enterprize had not the Success that was hoped for: The Turkish de∣fenders obstinately withstood the At∣tack, and killed 300 Christian Soul∣diers; nevertheless those Forces by Sea performed what the Troops by Land failed in: for vigorously following Page  65 the Attack they got the Wall, and ob∣•iged the Defendants to hang out the white Flag; so the Turks were per∣mitted upon Capitulation to go out, Bag and Baggage, and the Troops of Mendozza took Possession of the Place: some time after the Turks at∣tempted to form a Blocus, so to regain the Town: it then fell out that the Spanish Garrison being unwilling to en∣dure a Siege, shewed a resolution of going out to meet the Enemy, and what opposition soever Maccian Nova∣rese, who Commanded in Mendozza's place, made thereto, endeavouring to divert them there from, by putting them to the greatest Labours, yet he found himself constrained at last to yield to their Importunity; wherefore he marched out for that bold Attempt to attack the Enemy, near Andrusa, where they lay encamped with an Army of 3000 Foot, amongst which were 500 Janisaries, Commanded by Casan Aga.

The Spaniards being come near the Enemys Camp, to give them the grea∣ter amazement, thought best to set on fire the Stables of the Horses, who be∣ing Page  66 inraged to free themselves from the Flames, made a strange noise, which soon gave the Turks the alarm; who putting themselves in a Posture of defence, and finding the Christian Ar∣my weak and few in number, endea∣voured to encompass it; then was be∣gan a very bloody Combat, and in the midst of the Press the Valiant Captain Maccian fell down dead of several Wounds; after that blow the Spaniards began to sink, and had been utterly routed if one of their Musque∣tiers had not returned to the Turkish Commander, the like Fate which their own had suffered; by whose Death the Turkish Courage began to cool, and the Spaniards made an Ho∣nourable retreat back to Coron, where they took a Resolution to embark and abandon the Place; and so the Em∣peror was willing not to raise new difficulties that might obstruct the making of the Peace in Hungary: After this manner that unfortunate City re∣turned under the Barbarian Yoak.

In the midst of this Calm, and whilst the Forces of the Republick were not employed about any great Page  67 Enterprizes, the Procurator Francisco Morosini, Captain General of the Re∣publick, toucht with the Sentiments of Honour and his great Courage, conceived the design of making use of the present opportunity to regain those places in the Morca, which the Ottomans had ravisht from the Vene∣tians; for which purpose, considering that if once they were Masters of Co∣ron, which was no difficult matter, a means might be found of carrying on their Conquests; he set sail for this City Anno 1685. and sat down be∣fore it, but scarce had the Venetians ap∣proacht the Place, when a great Bo∣dy of Turks came down from the Country, and took up their Lodg∣ments within Pistol-shot of the Chri∣stians; by this bold Act the besieged were animated to a more Vigorous resistance, and it proved a great hin∣drance to the Valour and Designs of the besiegers, who nevertheless de∣sisted not from doing what ever they thought might advance the Siege and promote the taking of the Place. They gave Fire to a Mine of 100 Barrels of Powder, and were prepa∣red Page  89 for the Assault, if any Breach should be made, as they hoped there would; and notwithstanding the bad Success of their Mine, they proceed∣ed to advance their Lodgments, and repulse the Turks with an extraordina∣ry impetuosity. In this far advanced Post they defended themselves by their Dragoons, and were reinforced with some Troops of Malta; but in the end, after above three hours Combat, they were beat back and routed, and must all there have perisht, had they not found a means of escaping the Pursuit and Sword of the Enemy; yet for all this they carryed off from the Turks Seventeen Colours, and a Trophy of other rich Spoils: Being returned into their Retrenchments, to discourage the besieged, they set up at the end of their Pikes 130 Turks Heads; yet this abated not the Ardour of the Turks, who, although in continual Action, that they had scarce time to breath, yet would entertain no thoughts of Rendition, nor so much as Capitula∣tion, so much were they encouraged by the hopes of receiving a speedy Succour; and indeed a great number Page  69 of dispersed Fugitives and others got together from several parts of the Kingdom; or sent from the Turkish Army, came down, so that they were considerably encreased; and then they thought upon the readiest means to procure a speedy deliverance of the place. But their Efforts turned against them, for having attempted to force the Besiegers in their Retrenchments, they were briskly repulsed by a ter∣rible Volley of Musket-shot and Gra∣nado's; and being then pursued by a Regiment, and 200 Dragoons, they left 400 of their Men upon the place, and their Visier Calil Bassa was found amongst the rest of the Dead.

After this blow, which was not a little advantagious to us, our General making Reflection, that the Enemies were often refresht with new Supplies, to the great disadvantage of his own Men, whereof he had lost a great number, without any hopes of re∣cruiting them, he at last concluded that the whole Success depended upon the Defeat of the Turkish Camp; where∣fore he applyed himself to whatever might contribute to make this At∣tempt Page  70 successful and advantagious, he animated his Troops, took his Mea∣sures, gave Orders and saw them Ex∣ecuted so well, that he not only for∣ced the Ottomans from their Camp, but put them to so great a rout, that flying with precipitation, there were a great number of them cut in pieces by our Forces in the pursuit. They left the Christians a considerable Boo∣ty, consisting of six Brass Guns and much other Arms, all sort of Ammu∣nition and Implements of War, 300 Horse, a great many Tents and Co∣lours, amongst which the General-Standard, shewing, by the Horse Tails that adorned it, the Quality of the Commander, who was Machumat Bas∣sa, who had the entire Conduct of the Army, and was killed, as we said before.

After so fortunate an Adventure, the Venetians found themselves freed from the great Obstacles of the Turks that were encamped without the Place; and being Masters of the Field, they had hopes of soon putting the Besieged out of all thoughts of defence. They prepared for a general Assault, Page  71 springing a Mine, whose Effect •rought them to an Attack for three Hours; the besieged withstood them with an incredible Valour and Oppo∣sition, fatal to a great many Nobles and Valiant Souldiers, who perisht there. This considerable loss gave a few moments breathing to the Attack, put the Courage wherewith they a∣gain fell on made the besieged think it high time to come to a Capitulation, as they testified by hanging out a white Standard on the Rampart: Arms then were laid down to regulate the Articles of the Capitulation, but this was only a trick of Ottoman Perfidi∣ousness, who made a feigned shew of Rendition, to procure a greater loss to the Besiegers, by a brisk and unex∣pected Assault: The Venetians also took a more firm Resolution than ever to put an end to the Siege, which had already continued Nine and forty days, and having swept the Ramparts with their Shot, mounted the Walls and entered the Town, where being heated as they were with the Assault, they made a dreadful slaughter of all the Inhabitants, without regard of Page  72 Sex or Age. They found there 128 Pieces of Canon, of which 66 were Brass, besides a great quantity o• Ammunition and Victuals.

There happened during the space of so long a Siege several Remarkable matters that would make a great Vo∣lum. I shall but touch at some of the most Considerable, and for those, my design is rather to beget an admirati∣on of the extraordinary Valour there shewn by its Assailants, who were distinguisht either by Birth or their great Employs, and fell there a Sacri∣fice for Glory; than to open our Wounds and renew our Grief for their loss and our Misfortunes: a∣mongst others was the Death of la Tour, Commander General by Land, and Knight of Malta; of the Prince of Brunswick, and of the Prince of Savoy: These Illustrious Warriours gave in the face of the Enemy suffi∣cient Proofs of the greatness of their Courage, answerable to the deserved high Thoughts conceived of their Merit.

To these great Persons we may add, as he justly deserves a more than ordi∣nary Page  73 remembrance, that excellent •aptain Francesco Ravagnini, but 34 •ears old, Brother to Girolamo;•e have been informed of this parti∣••lar Circumstance of his Death, •hich alone merits an eternal remem∣•ance amongst Men. At the last Pe∣•ods of his Life, after having made •s Will for the distribution of his •state, he earnestly desired, that after •s death, his Body might be buried •o where but in Coron, testifying, by •at, his assurance, that the place •ould be taken; and nothing can •ore demonstrate with what ardor he •ust necessarily go to the Attack, •an this firm perswasion of their be∣•g Crowned with an happy success.

After being a little recovered of the •reat fatigues of this Siege, the Gene∣•al raised a Trophy of the great Stan∣•ard taken from the Enemies, and an Explication was made of the words •hat were upon it; with a general Ap∣•lause the Ornament of the Golden •tar was conferred by the Republick on his Brother Lorenzo, as a recom∣pence for his great Services. The ta∣king of Coron gave the People a per∣fect Page  74 joy and satisfaction, testified p•¦lickly by them, especially in their •¦ving Thanks to the God of Arm• and Supream Triumpher, who •• given them so great a Victory o• the Enemys of his Faith. The •• accompanied by the whole Sen•• with an Infinite Concourse of Peop•• went to the Church of St. Mark, a• after a Solemn Mass, Te Deum was sun• and the same was done in all •• Churches with all imaginable Po•• and Ceremony.