Battle of El Tor

Battle of El Tor
Part of Ottoman–Portuguese conflicts (1538–1559)
16th century Portuguese sketch of Toro
Date 1541 Location El Tor Result Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Dom Estevão da Gama Dom Cristóvão da Gama Dom Luís de Ataíde Dom João de Castro	Unknown
Strength
255 soldiers[1] 17 oarships	200 horsemen[2]
Casualties and losses
3 wounded[3]	over 20 dead[3]

The Battle of El Tor was a military engagement that took place in 1541, between Portuguese forces under the command of the Governor of India Dom Estevão da Gama and those of the Ottoman Empire then in the city of El Tor, on the Sinai Peninsula. The Turks were driven from the city, but at the request of Christian monks from the Monastery of Saint Catherine the Portuguese spared the city from being plundered, and celebrated a mass and a knighting ceremony therein.

It is among the most celebrated episodes of the history of Portugal, and considered one of the greatest achievents of chivalry of history; the event was later celebrated across Europe.^[4]