PIUS VII

In February of 1804, Commodore Edward Preble staged a risky operation in order to prevent the Islamic Barbary powers from using one of the American captured ships against America. With a small band of naval officers he raided the heavily defended harbor in Tripoli and successfully destroyed the ship. Following the incident, Preble and his men were hailed as heroes at home and abroad for “humbling the Muslim North African states”. The clash of Christian and Islamic civilizations was then ongoing.

In February of 1804, Commodore Edward Preble staged a risky operation in order to prevent the Islamic Barbary powers from using one of the American captured ships against America. With a small band of naval officers he raided the heavily defended harbor in Tripoli and successfully destroyed the ship. Following the incident, Preble and his men were hailed as heroes at home and abroad for “humbling the Muslim North African states”. The clash of Christian and Islamic civilizations was then ongoing.