Alicante serves as the point of departure for Captain Viedma’s military career in the history he recounts at the inn. He sails from there toward Genoa, setting in motion a route that carries him from his family’s household into service abroad.

Departure for Genoa

After his father divides the family’s property among his three sons, Captain Viedma chooses the profession of arms. He gives much of his share back to his father, then travels to Alicante because he has heard that a Genoese vessel is loading wool for Genoa. The port is therefore not a destination in itself but the practical starting point for the career he has chosen.

A Threshold in Captain Viedma’s Story

The voyage from Alicante is successful. From Genoa, Captain Viedma proceeds to Milan, where he equips himself with arms and soldiers’ necessities, intending at first to serve in Piedmont. News that the Duke of Alba is heading to Flanders changes his plans: he joins the campaigns there, before later seeking out the allied expedition against the Ottoman fleet. Alicante marks the opening passage in this sequence of decisions and journeys, which eventually leads to his capture and years of captivity.