While the admiral was in harbour, Dragut, finding the seas
open to him once more, returned from his "Horrid Devastations," and
employed his time profitably in throwing provisions and men into the city,
which he knew would be beleagured in the following year.
During the ensuing winter Doria, in conjunction with the viceroys of Naples
and Sicily, prepared the expedition which was to accomplish not only the
capture of "Africa," but what was, in his opinion, equally important, the
destruction of Dragut-Reis, Early in the spring of 1550, all was in
readiness, and the armada of Charles sailed from Palermo to Trapani, where
it met with the forces of Don Juan de Vega, Viceroy of Sicily, those of Don
Garcia de Toledo, the son of the Viceroy of Naples, and likewise the
Maltese squadron. The galleys, accompanied by a fleet of transports, set
sail early in June, and on the 20th of that month landed an army a little
to the east of Mehedia or "Africa".
It must be remembered that the inhabitants of Mehedia were by no means
enamoured of Dragut-Reis and his piratical followers: King Stork had
succeeded to King Log, the part of the former monarch being taken by that
singularly capable and ferocious person, Aisa, whose rule was far from
being to the liking of the richer and more respectable portion of the
townsfolk.
When, therefore, Andrea Doria and his captains laid siege to the city, they
murmured against its defence, desiring ardently to enter into some sort of
treaty with the besiegers; they had had enough of war, they said, and
wished to end their days in peace if possible.
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