Andrea Doria was born at Oneglia from…
1519 CE
Andrea Doria was born at Oneglia from the ancient Genoese family, the Doria di Oneglia branch of the old Doria, de Oria or de Auria family.
His parents were related: Ceva Doria, co-lord of Oneglia, and Caracosa Doria, of the Doria di Dolceacqua branch.
Orphaned at an early age, he became a soldier of fortune, first serving in the papal guard of Innocent VIII, when Genoa had fallen prey to the quarrels of rival families.
An extremely able soldier, he has been successively hired by King Ferdinand I and his son Alfonso II of Naples and by various Italian princes.
Fighting in Corsica in the service of Genoa in 1503, at that time under French vassalage, he had taken part in the rising of Genoa against the French, whom he compelled to evacuate the city.
He became famous as a naval commander from that time onward.
He had helped his uncle Domenico from 1503 to 1506 in quelling the Corsican revolt against Genoan rule.
Deciding to try his fortunes on the seas, Doria has outfitted eight galleys and patrols the Mediterranean for the past several years, fighting the Ottoman Turks and the Barbary pirates, augmenting both his reputation and his fortune.
He scores a brilliant victory in 1519 over the Turks at Pianosa.