Support for the king had been slipping among his erstwhile allies, and on 17 July a popular riot in the city of Messina opened the gates to the armed forces of Enrico Rosso and Count Simone Chiaramonte. They demanded that Louis hand over his guardian, Matteo Palizzi, which he refused on 19 July. The palace was invaded but, while Matteo was found and killed, the king escaped. He boarded a Catalan ship and on 29 July arrived at Catania, where he joined his new allies under Blasco de Alagona. The king moved into the Castello Ursino.