Battle of Lepanto (1571)

The naval Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571, at the northern edge of the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth (then the Gulf of Lepanto), off western Greece. A galley fleet of the Holy League, a sometimes-flimsy coalition of Pope Pius V, Spain, the Venice, Genoa, Savoy, Naples, the Knights of Malta and others, defeated a force of Ottoman galleys. It was the final major naval battle in world history to take place between exclusively oared-galleys.

Aftermath

The engagement was a crushing defeat for the Ottomans, who lost all but about 50 of their ships. It was one of the most decisive naval defeats in the Mediterranean between the Battle of Actium (31 BC) and the Battle of the Nile (1798).

Related Topics:
Mediterranean - Battle of Actium - 31 BC - Battle of the Nile

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Despite the massive Turkish defeat, European disunity prevented the allied forces from pressing their victory or achieving a lasting supremacy over the Ottomans at this time. The Ottoman Empire immediately began a massive effort to rebuild their navy, and within 6 months was able to reassert Ottoman naval supremacy. The defeat at Lepanto did not prevent the Ottomans' capture of the forts around Tunis either. However, Ottomans lost their control of the seas, especially in the western part of the Mediterranean.

Related Topics:
Turkish - Tunis

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It should be noted that the rebuilt Ottoman navy comprised ships made from unseaworthy materials and manned by inexperienced sailors, which was more important in the long term than sheer numbers.

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