Battle of Cape Orlando

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Battle of Cape Orlando
Part of War of the Sicilian Vespers
Date July 4, 1299 Location Mediterranean Sea, near Sicily Result Aragonese–Angevin victory
Belligerents
Crown of Aragon Angevin Empire	Sicily
Commanders
Roger of Lauria	Conrad d'Oria
Strength
58 galleys	48 galleys
Casualties and losses
Unknown	14–16 galleys captured

The naval Battle of Cape Orlando took place on 4 July 1299 at St Marco di Val Demone, north-western Sicily, when an Aragonese and Angevin galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Conrad d'Oria. Both leaders, James II and Frederick III, were present. There was a small attack on 3 July also.

After Aragon had come to an agreement with the Angevins, the Sicilians gradually became their enemies. Lauria's loyalty lay much more with Aragon, and he and James landed an invasion fleet at St Marco di Val Demone in probably late June 1299, and the Sicilian fleet arrived on 3 July to find Lauria's galleys beached stern-first in a crescent formation. A small disorganized assault was repulsed. Not wanting to allow the invasion troops to consolidate their beachhead while he returned to Messina and landed his troops, d'Oria waited for 8 additional galleys approaching from the west and weathered a stormy night at sea and then attacked Lauria's fleet, which had been reinforced with men from the castle of Val Demone and connected together during the night, all the injured being removed. It seems that d'Oria's leader Frederick (James' brother) took over command from his admiral, whereas James was content to let Lauria control the Aragonese fleet. Both fleets were in crescent formation and attacked each other at range for a considerable time. Lauria's Catalan archers got slightly the better of this exchange but still suffered significantly. His oarsmen and almugavars could be protected under cover better than the troops of the Sicilians who had to maintain position at sea.

1 Sicilian galley attacked alone and was surrounded, drawing in other Sicilian galleys in a disorganized manner. At about this time 6 of Lauria's galleys he had hidden along the coast appeared and attacked the Sicilians from the rear. This caused 6 and then another 12 Sicilian galleys, including the one Frederick was on, to flee. James allowed him to escape. The remaining 16-18 were surrounded and captured.

Ships involved:

[edit] Aragon and Angevins (Roger of Lauria)

46 Aragonese galleys
12 Angevin galleys
some supply vessels

[edit] Sicily (Conrad d'Oria)

40 Sicilian galleys plus 8 galleys (also Sicilian??) - 14-16 captured