La difesa costiera del Regno di Sardegna nel XVII secolo: il pattugliamento mobile

Abstract

In the 16th century, the Kingdom of Spain built many defensive structures in the whole Iberian area in its struggle against the Turkish Empire, and almost at the same time the navy was developed. Sardinia was included into the projects of construction, expansion and modernization of defense works from the early decades of the 16th century, but did not have its own fleet of galleys until the following century when, during the Thirty Years' War, the danger of either the pirate raids or the French military threat dramatically showed up with the occupation of Oristano in 1637. The experience of the Sardinian fleet, although important and meaningful, was a failure under many aspects, e specially in its original task: the protection of the seas and coasts.