(Oct. 7, 1571) Naval engagement between allied Christian forces (Venice, the pope, and Spain) and the Ottoman Turks during an Ottoman campaign to acquire the Venetian island of Cyprus. After four hours of fighting off the coast of Lepanto, Greece, the allies, under Juan de Austria, were victorious, capturing 117 galleys and thousands of men.
Christians and Ottomans fought in the strait between the gulfs of Pátrai and Corinth, off Lepanto (Návpaktos), Greece. The fleet of the Holy League commanded by John of Austria (d. 1578) opposed the Ottoman fleet under Uluç Ali Pasha. The allied fleet (about 200 galleys, not counting smaller ships) consisted mainly of Spanish, Venetian, and papal ships and of vessels sent by a number of Italian states. It carried approximately 30,000 fighting men. The Ottoman fleet Consisted of 220-230 Galleys. The battle ended with the virtual destruction of the Ottoman navy (except 40 galleys, with which Uluç Ali escaped). Approximately 30,000 Turks were slain or captured, some 10,000 Christian galley slaves were liberated, and much booty was taken. The victors, however, lost over 7,000 men. Among the allied wounded was Cervantes, who lost the use of his left arm.
Lepanto was the first major Ottoman defeat by the Christian powers, and Rout by the Christian Navies, led by Don Juan, ended the myth of Ottoman naval invincibility.
3 comments:
This is quite interesting. I'd like to see more of this in your blog (and preferably that you cite your sources).
If there's anything we should pay more attention to, then it's the crusades.
All right, I guess that validates as a request :) And I bet that Crusader18 is quite knowledgable when it comes to the crusades, considering his moniker :)
I will post some small articles about the crusades in the near future. However, the Battle of Lepanto was not part of them. The last "Crusade" proper, was launched in 1291, to save Acre, the last of the Latin kingdoms. We must look to the reason for it's failure as our key to defeating Islam's Jihad against the West. Much can be learned from history. What works, but more importantly...What doesn't work.
Post a Comment