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✅1632 | A Turkish Pirate Raid on the Island of Corvo

Barbary piracy, especially from Algiers and Morocco, had already launched several raids on the Azorean islands, particularly Graciosa and Santa Maria. However, in 1632, it was the so-called Turkish piracy—probably linked to the prosperous city-state of Algiers—that turned its sights on the island of Corvo, arriving with a powerful fleet to plunder it.

It happened that someone, probably Father Inácio Coelho, who had previously served as vicar on Corvo and was then vicar in Santa Cruz das Flores, described the events that unfolded that day on the island. This account, titled Brief and Most Truthful Account of the Great and Wonderful Victory that Our Lord God Saw Fit to Grant the Inhabitants of the Island of Corvo, Against Ten Powerful Turkish Ships that Came to Rob and Enslave Them. Year 1632, was sent to the capitão-mor on the island of Faial, who then forwarded it to Lisbon, where it was published that same year by Mattheus Pinheiro.

This account was republished in 1993 by the Municipal Council of Corvo.

"As the inhabitants of the islands this Crown possesses in the Ocean Sea are continuously harassed by the many and various pirates and corsairs who, with their ships and fleets, come to await prey and the ships that usually arrive from southern parts and others seeking the islands, they live as if on a frontier of enemies. They are especially fearful of the Moors and Turks who, not content with stealing goods, aim to enslave people, as occurred a few years ago (for our sins) on the islet of Porto Santo, near the island of Madeira."[^1]

According to the aforementioned account, on June 23, 1632, there appeared before the village:

“Ten Turkish ships, large and very powerful” which soon after launched “ten boats so large that they looked more like caravels than boats, filled with bold and daring Turks who, without fear or number, came to plunder the island, taking with them all the inhabitants.”[^2]

The attackers disembarked along the edge of the narrow bay, full of confidence, and advanced:

“With barbarous shouting and their customary clamors,” as if they already owned the land.

However, they were met by fifty men—essentially all the defenders the island had—who, although lacking significant skill with weapons or military tactics, confronted the invaders and:

“Killed a great number of the enemies, the rest being thrown into the sea or forced back into their boats.”[^3]

Seeing what was happening due to the fierce resistance of the Corvinos, the Turks:

“Sent in two more pinnaces with many men: the strongest and finest of all.” They disembarked in a spot guarded by five young sentinels, and the commotion drew other young shepherds whose weapons were nothing but stones, which they hurled at the invaders armed with muskets, scimitars, and other arms. Soon, the fathers of some of the boys arrived, and: “The uproar and the battle doubled in intensity, such that it seemed the island was shaking and ablaze.”[^4]

The Turkish assailants eventually withdrew, leaving:

“The beach and sea filled with blood and dead bodies,” and eight corpses they could neither carry away nor throw into the sea, along with one “quite dazed” survivor, who was taken prisoner.

The total number of Turkish casualties and injuries could not be determined during the course of:

“Eleven long hours that the battle lasted,” while among the Corvinos there were no deaths, no injuries, and no captives—a fact considered miraculous.

Local oral tradition on Corvo recounts that during the assault, the Flemish image of Our Lady of Miracles was carried in procession to Canada da Rocha and that, from there:

She repelled the cannon fire from the ships with her hands, and each shot that ricocheted killed seven assailants. Thus, the Turks were unsuccessful in their attempt to raid the village.[^5]

Regardless of the truth of the account attributed to Father Inácio Coelho, the fact remains that the island’s steep topography favored its defense, contributing to the failure of the attackers.

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