Si solevarono gridando che havevano la libertà : Prigionieri in fuga nel Mediterraneo durante la guerra di successione spagnola

The Mediterranean Sea was a key area of the operations during the war of the Spanish succession, especially after the settlement of Charles of Habsburg in the Italian dominions. The well-established Spanish route connected the Mediterranean Sea with the fortresses that guarded the Po Valley and supported the maneuvers of the armies. This involved investments and availability of maritime skills that the Habsburgs lacked, who resorted to English ships commanded by Genoese captains. The trial of a captain of a ship allows us to outline the practices in use for the transport of prisoners of war, their conditions, the on-board personnel, the routes, mishaps, escapes and the attitude of the authorities. The essay concludes with some data and observations on the Genoese warships active in the Mediterranean Sea during this period.