1514

The Knights Hospitaller had been forced to adapt to their new territory in Tripoli in the wake of the surrender of Rhodes to the Turk. They had forced out nearly all the locals from the ashes of Tripoli, now named Oea by the Christians. In its stead was a well fortified yet underpopulated port town. Just outside its fortifications would be small outcrops of scouts and guards keeping watch from the many communities of local residents who were either forcefully kicked out or already resided in the outer parts of the region. By the time the year 1514 came around, the Knights began a series of campaigns to strike down the local Muslim population who had constantly harassed and threatened the city. There had been news of fleets prepared to sail the Mediterranean the coming year and the newly established Yakubid dynasty in Tunis had greatly threatened the security of the new home of the Order. The Knights hoped that this would allow them to garner foreign aid and gain full control of Tripoli.

They separated into three parties taking different directions out of the city. The orders were to collect and gather the locals for searches and collections of "Barbarossid agents" as to be decided by the local commander. The locals, who had long seemed well-provisioned and armed even in the wake of their expulsion from the city, fought back ferociously. The southern thrust from the Knights had been particularly disastrous after one of the first communities approached was able to distract and kill the commanding officer, causing chaos in the organization of Christians. Local tribesmen, bolstered by support, had gathered in response to the campaign set off by the Knights and attacked the southern thrust. A blundered retreat and a breakdown in communication soon found one of the main gates of Oea fallen into enemy hands and the gate itself torn down. The attackers threaten the inner city itself even as the other Knights that had left the city walls returned to defend. Eventually the Christians are able to regain control of the gatehouse and walls albeit at the cost of the gate itself, and the breach would be a constant threat in the coming months. However, the local parties would only on occasion gather in an assault on the city before being inevitably repulsed by the well-prepared defenders.

As the months turned to mid-Spring, a number of fleets found themselves gathered and deployed in the central Mediterranean. One was the Venetian fleet, a force not to be trifled with and its purpose soon clear. After a short trip to garrisoning the newly founded, and sparsely populated, Venetian quarter of Oea they soon left into smaller parties. The Venetians soon began plundering Muslim shipping going between the west and east Mediterranean to great effect, collecting loot and booty to bring back home. The Egyptians had also once more gathered a fleet like their Mamluk forebears in the aim of securing Tripoli against the Christian threat that had sprung up there in the wake of the razing. Barbarossa did in the West as well, gathering with a newfound ally in the Pirate Queen of Tetuoan, but the traveling was extensive and the collection of ships difficult to do. The Egyptians, with the wind at their backs, aimed at establishing a beach head at Tripoli and constructing a worthy siege camp. When they arrived, they would find the city already with a breach and tired from multiple assaults. The Knights fleet was also too paltry to oppose the Egyptian fleet, and after a few short skirmishes was left with little option but to flee with whoever and whatever they could fit. The Egyptian banners on their ships caught the eye of the significant Venetian garrison fighting alongside their Knightly ally, and soon the Venetians took the walls to open the gates and harbor. The Knights both helpless, busy, and confused were unable to mount any resistance and soon thousands of Egyptian soldiers poured into the city. The city was once more wracked for survivors as systematic killings were induced and the Venetians, spared by the Egyptian sack, soon found themselves victim too to the locals who do not spare their fury for any of the Christian invaders. The Egyptian soldiers refuse to do anything but stay their hand against their Muslim compatriots who they were told they were coming to save, and soon only they remain in Tripoli. This would be the sight the fleet of Barbarossa would see as well, soon gathering with their Egyptian allies.

Meanwhile, Andrew Barton continues to threaten Muslim shipping as well with a handful of frigates put to good use. The Grandmaster and much of the Knights gold also escapes to Spain, another embarrassing retreat in only a matter of years. Tunis fares not much better, as money begins to once again flow freely in society. While Barbarossa gathered and recaptured Tripoli, they faced stiffer and stiffer resistance from both new and old enemies. Even cities such as Sfax often disobeyed or ignored reports and requests from the capital, and the tribes grew in confidence harassing the coastal cities. The Beys of the Sultanate whispered of others to support and offers of coin to back foreign kings, commonplace in the cutthroat politics of the Maghreb. It even scared off Andrea Doria, who had gathered a fleet to oppose the Muslim powers but fled in sight of the much larger and prepared force against him.

TL;DR

• The Knights attempt to first put Tripoli under an iron fist, which quickly backfires into a breach in the walls of Oea

• The Venetians garrison Oea and then pirate Muslim shipping to great effect

• The Egyptians arrive to besiege the city, quickly dispelling the Knights fleet who flees. The Venetians open the gates and harbor to the Egyptians

• The city is removed of Christians, including Venetians who are killed by the vengeful locals

• Royal authority in Tunis is in shambles, bribery and corruption is rampant. Strong Muslim fleet scares off any other Christian fleet from engaging