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Algarve |
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Balanced view - Letter from the Algarve by Frances Ruddick
• 03 May 2007 •
 IN last week’s letter Prince Henry, Governor of the Algarve, was the subject of my vitriol, due to his involvement with the slave trade. In order to be fair, I want to redress the balance by pointing out that a hundred years later, many slaves were taken from the Algarve and sold in Africa.
It is rarely publicised that coastal villages and towns were frequently subject to attacks by pirates from Morocco. Apart from plundering people’s valuables they also took many Algarveans back to Africa, where they were sold as slaves.
Not that this problem was limited to the Algarve, as most places along the southern Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline suffered from pirates and corsairs. During the 17th century an estimated one million Europeans were transported to slave markets across the water in Tripoli, Algiers and Rabat.
Still standing on the Algarve coast, castles and defensive fortifications are testimony to a brutal period when the population lived in fear. The situation was so serious that many disused maritime forts were repaired and new ones built by order of Dom João de Castro, Governor of the Algarve in 1617.
Settlements close to tuna fishing areas had grown quite large in size and Lieutenant Colonel José Sande de Vasconcelos was given the responsibility of identifying these places and suggesting suitable defences.
Visitors today might view these (mostly) ruined buildings with disinterest but 400 years ago they were equivalent to the guided missile systems of today.
From Vila Real in the east, to Sagres in the west, the coastline was transformed with up to the minute defences, sentries on permanent duty and barracks reinforced with soldiers.
Check out these locations above the Algarve’s golden sands: the fort and barracks in Armação de Pêra, the fort of Santa Catarina at Praia da Rocha and the fortress of São João in Cabanas, just west of Tavira.
Additional defensive devices were added at Vila Real, Tavira, Faro, Albufeira, Portimão and Sagres.
Lagos was at risk due to the nearby tuna fishing villages on the beaches at Meia Praia and Luz. The batteries along Lagos castle walls were raised and as an added precaution – because the castle was not directly above the sea – the fortress of Ponta da Bandeira was built on the cliff top. With a drawbridge and turrets in its four corners, it was an effective advance lookout post. This is one of a few remaining fortresses that exist as a tourist attraction, prominently situated on the promenade at Lagos.
As a result of these defences, by the end of the 17th century most pirates had been deterred from making excursions onto the shore, but merchant shipping along the coast continued to be under threat.
The Barbary pirates – based on the Guelaya Peninsular of Morocco – were well positioned to attack defenceless vessels. Looting cargo was a lucrative occupation but by capturing European sailors and selling them as slaves, they earned additional income.
Most of the pirates were of Arab or Berber origins; some were sponsored by wealthy Moroccans who would sell on the pirate’s booty, including slaves.
Despite our European horror that such trade went on, it should be remembered that probably the most treacherous pirate of all time was not from North Africa. Aruj Barbarossa – to you or I – Red Beard, was Greek. He had no scruples about the nationalities of those he robbed and murdered.
Landing at Algiers, he put a Sultan to the sword and on another voyage he captured a fleet of treasure belonging to the Pope.
Thought for the day:
Whilst walking on an Algarve beach
Or sailing out at sea
You would have been in danger
In the 17th century! |  Return to Top
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