1466, Mediterranean Sea, Andrea Doria

1466 
This year,
           [the year one thousand four hundred and sixty six,
the birth year of Andrea Doria,
          [the future protagonist of the time for sea conflicts....

Orphaned at an early age, he became a soldier of fortune,
                                                              [serving in the papal guard,
and later admiral of the Holy fleet.
                   [in the Mediterranean Sea for the safety and safeguard...

Doria in Genoa with the help of some leading citizens,
                                                              [he expelled the French,
and re-established the republic,
                                      [under imperial protection to entrench..

As fate had it, he was to lead the fleet by commanding the flagship,
and possibly that's why he refused offers,
                      [to take the lordship of Genoa, and even the dogeship,
but accepted the position of "perpetual censor". 

He was an experienced skipper,
                    [a tough fighter and a keen fencer.

As imperial admiral he commanded several expeditions,
                                                           [against the Ottoman Empire,
he was feared and dreaded by all enemy ships,
                     [so some guys called him "the bombing" or "hell fire"

Charles V found him an invaluable ally,
                                          [in the wars with Francis the First,
and through him extended his domination,                                        
                     [over the whole of Italy, an expansionary burst...    

Pope Paul III, succeeded in assembling a Holy League,
filled with disagreement and intrigue,
comprising the Papacy, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire,
the Republic of Venice and the Maltese Knights,
                                            [under Doria, the "Hell Fire",
against the Ottoman fleet led by Hayreddin Barbarossa
                 [who in Preveza will defeat the Christian fleet,
(in Ottoman history is considered the greatest feat)....

It was said he protected his own estate, as he personally owned,
                  [a substantial Number, of the "Spanish-Genoese"fleet,
so Doria was considered by many to be responsible for the defeat..

This was more or less the story,
               [of this "capitani di ventura"*, a story clearly bittersweet.
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to be continued

''IT COULD BE OTHERWISE in verse''
Texts and Narration: Odysseus Heavilayias - ROTTERDAM //
Language adjustments and text adaptation: Kellene G Safis - CHICAGO//
Digital adaptation and text editing: Cathy Rapakoulia Mataraga - PIRAEUS// ______________________________________________________________

Six centuries later...........

 ELEGHOS... at history