The action of the novel “The Sword of Islam” occurs during the so-called Italian Wars, when France and Spain disputed dominance over Italy and at the same time were forced to fight corsair raids in the Mediterranean. “During the siege of Genoa, Prospero had just achieved serious recognition at sea. Four years earlier, in the case of Gualatta, his skill and courage as a condottiere saved the great Andrea Doria from disaster, snatching him from the hands of Dragut Reis, an Anatolian, who was famous for his actions under the name "The Naked Sword of Islam".