The sack of Cullera, in Spain on the Mediterranean Sea, occurred on 20 May 1550, according to an entry made by a 16th century writer, Pere Joan Porcar; another account gives the date as 15 May 1550 In May 1550, the Ottoman general

Dragut Dragut (; 1485 – 23 June 1565) was an Ottoman corsair, naval commander, governor, and noble. Under his command, the Ottoman Empire's maritime power was extended across North Africa. Recognized for his military genius, and as being among "the ...

landed in Cullera,

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

and sacked the city taking away many inhabitants in

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

. Dragut had just assaulted

Benalmádena Benalmádena () is a town in Andalusia in southern Spain, 12 km west of Málaga, on the Costa del Sol between Torremolinos and Fuengirola. Benalmádena is rich in attractive beaches and interesting places like the Colomares Castle, the 33-me ...

, Benissa and

Sant Joan d'Alacant Sant Joan d'Alacant (; ), or simply Sant Joan (or ''San Juan''), is a municipality belonging to Alicante metropolitan area, in the southeast of Valencian Community, Spain. It is the geographic center of the Old Garden of Alicante. Its limits ar ...

with 27 galleys, he then sailed to Valencia which he sacked before his assault on Cullera. Dragut attacked Cullera at night with 300 men. Dragut sacked the city, seized goods from the people and took almost all of the inhabitants of the city as slaves. He kept the captives in a cave before taking them to a slave market in Algiers. This same cave now has a statue of Dragut and a museum commemorating his attack. After his assault on Cullera he made his way to

Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...

where he sacked Pollença, killing or capturing 130 people in the process. He then attacked Barenys in

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...

where he destroyed the castle, set fire to the crops and took many captives.La Costa Daurada arran de marJosep Insa Montava
Cossetània Edicions,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullera 1550 1550 in Spain Barbary slave raids Conflicts in 1550 1550 in the Ottoman Empire Looting in Spain Military history of the Valencian Community Naval battles involving the Ottoman Empire Naval battles involving Spain 16th century in slavery