Battle of Lepanto

Background

In the mid-sixteenth century the Ottoman Empire was the strongest power in the Mediterranean. In 1570 Sultan Selim II invaded Cyprus, which belonged to Venice. Nicosia fell that September, and the fortress of Famagusta held out until August 1571. Pope Pius V worked to build a Christian alliance, and in May 1571 Spain, Venice and the Papacy formed the Holy League, joined by Genoa, Savoy, the Knights of Malta and other Italian states. Command of the fleet went to Don John of Austria, the 24-year-old half-brother of King Philip II of Spain. The fleet gathered at Messina in Sicily and sailed east in September. The Ottoman fleet under Müezzinzade Ali Pasha was sheltering at Lepanto, the modern Naupaktos, inside the Gulf of Corinth. On the morning of 7 October the two fleets sighted each other at the entrance to the Gulf of Patras.

The Battle

Both fleets were enormous. The Holy League had about 200 galleys and six galleasses; the Ottomans had about 230 galleys and a large number of smaller galliots. Together they carried more than 100,000 men, including rowers. Both sides formed a long line abreast in three divisions, with a reserve. On the Christian side the Venetian Agostino Barbarigo held the left near the shore, Don John the center, and the Genoese Gian Andrea Doria the right, with Álvaro de Bazán in reserve. The six Venetian galleasses were towed out in front. As the Ottoman galleys advanced, the galleasses' guns tore into them and broke up their line. On the Christian left, the Ottoman right wing tried to slip round between Barbarigo and the shore. Barbarigo was killed by an arrow, but the Venetians pinned the Ottomans against the coast and destroyed them. In the center the two flagships, Don John's Real and Ali Pasha's Sultana, crashed together, and soldiers fought back and forth across the decks. Ali Pasha was killed and the Sultana was taken. On the Christian right the Algerian commander Uluç Ali drew Doria away to the south, then turned into the gap and attacked the galleys of the Knights of Malta. The Christian reserve came up, and Uluç Ali escaped with part of his wing. By late afternoon the battle was over.

Weapons

Lepanto was fought at close quarters, mostly by boarding. Galleys fired their bow guns just before contact, then soldiers fought across the decks. The Holy League galleys carried large numbers of Spanish and Italian infantry armed with the Arquebus and wearing breastplates and the Morion Helmet. The Ottomans had fewer firearms. The Janissaries aboard carried matchlocks, but many Ottoman soldiers still relied on the composite bow and fought hand to hand with swords like the Ottoman Kilij. The Christians met boarders with the Pike and Halberd. The heavy guns of the Venetian Galleass gave the League a firepower advantage from the start.

Aftermath

The Ottomans lost most of their fleet. Estimates suggest that more than 100 galleys were captured and many others sunk, with perhaps 25,000 or more men killed or captured. The League lost about a dozen galleys and roughly 7,000 to 8,000 dead. About 12,000 to 15,000 Christian galley slaves were set free. The young Miguel de Cervantes, later the author of Don Quixote, was wounded and lost the use of his left hand. The victory had limited results. The Ottomans built a new fleet the next year, the League broke apart, and in 1573 Venice made a separate peace and gave up Cyprus. But Lepanto ended the idea that the Ottoman navy could not be beaten, and it was the last great battle fought mainly between galleys.