The novel “The Sword of Islam” takes place during the so-called Italian Wars, when France and Spain disputed dominance over Italy and, at the same time, were forced to fight against corsair raids in the Mediterranean.
During the blockade of Genoa, Prospero had already achieved serious recognition at sea. Four years earlier, in the affairs at Gualatta, his skill and courage as a condottiere saved him from disaster involving the great Andrea Doria—snatching him from the hands of Dragut Reis, an Anatolian, known for his deeds under the name “The Naked Sword of Islam.”