This offer he refused, as he
said that he knew nothing about the sea. They pressed him, saying that to a
man of his genius nothing was impossible, and in the end he gave a somewhat
reluctant consent. He soon proved his competence in his new sphere of
activity, as his first act was to capture the Fort of the Lantern, in the
neighbourhood of Genoa, which was then held by the French for Louis XII.
The Republic confirmed his appointment as General of the Galleys with many
compliments, and he put to sea and captured three of the war-galleys of the
corsairs, also two Turkish ships laden with valuable merchandise. He fitted
out the galleys for his own service, sold the merchantmen, and made an
immense sum of money.
His next act was to defeat the corsair, Cadolin, who had eight galleys to
Doria's six; these he added to his own fleet, which now consisted of
fourteen vessels, he having begun with three. As Cadolin was one of the
most famous corsairs of the day, this capture made an immense sensation,
and all men, Moslems as well as Christians, were asking one another, "Who
was this Doria?"
They had their answer, as time passed, in the career of this astonishing
warrior, who in his time played so many parts, who served under so many
flags, and yet who remained consistently a patriot all the time. As this is
not a history of Doria, we have no space to trace out his life step by step
as it was lived; suffice it to say that, disapproving of the government of
his native Republic under the family of the Adorno, Andrea offered his
sword and his fleet to the King of France, Francis I.
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