Sack of Sori

On precisely July 1, 1584, twenty-two Algerian galleys containing 1,500 men orchestrated an assault on the town of Sori, situated along the Ligurian coast a mere eight miles from Genoa. They then pillaged the town, abducting 100 men and women as slaves, with a minimal loss of only 4 men during the confrontation. Compounding the devastation, the Algerians seized a Genoese ship while departing the waters near Sori.^[1][2][3]

Promptly upon receiving this distressing information, both the galleys of the republic and those under the command of Gian Andrea Doria set sail from the port in pursuit of the corsairs. However, the pursuit was abandoned swiftly, given the unfavorable numerical odds and the considerable cargo, notably "four million in gold on board Doria's galleys" yet to be unloaded. Roccatagliata further notes that as Doria departed with his galleys at the conclusion of the summer, the Genoese populace harbored profound apprehension of potential corsair incursions. This fear was so pervasive that in the suburban environs surrounding the city, individuals would frequently engage in hasty retreats without apparent cause.^[1]