16th century, Venice
The Capitana di Venezia was a galley who, as the flagship of the Venetian fleet, took part in the battle of Lepanto between the Holy League and the Ottoman fleets.
“Capitana” was the term used for the largest and most prestigious ship of a squadron carrying its commander. Those ...
16th century, Venice
The Capitana di Venezia was a galley who, as the flagship of the Venetian fleet, took part in the battle of Lepanto between the Holy League and the Ottoman fleets.
“Capitana” was the term used for the largest and most prestigious ship of a squadron carrying its commander. Those flagships usually had 26 to 30 oars on each side, two or three lateen-rigged masts for cruising and its distinctive characteristic was a large and high stern cabin.
The battle of Lepanto, in the gulf of Patras) was the last major naval battle in the Mediterranean fought entirely between galleys, hence its historical importance.
The battle of Lepanto took place in 1571 when Pope Pius V set up the fleet of the Holy League to fight the expansion of Islam and the Ottoman Empire.
The Holy League fleet was a coalition of several southern European Catholic states (Spain, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, Venice, Papal state, Genoa, Savoy, Knights Hospitaller and many others) and consisted of 225 galleys and 6 galleasses under the command of Don John of Austria (illegitimate son of Charles I of Spain and half-brother to Philip II of Spain). The fleet of the Ottoman Empire consisted of 245 galleys under the command of Ali Pacha.
The Venetian fleet was under the command of Agostino Barbarigo and Marco Quirini, commander of the Capitana di Venezia. After the premature death of Agostino Barbarigo, Marco Quirini led his 63 galleys and 2 galleasses and destroyed the 56 galleys of Sirocco Pacha. After several hours of fighting, the Holy League fleet completely annihilated the Turkish fleet.
The losses were incredible. On the Christian side: 84,000 men dead, 15,000 officers dead or wounded, 12 galleys sunk and one captured. On the Turkish side: 88,000 men dead and countless men drowned, 113 galleys destroyed, 76 captured and 15,000 Christian convicts liberated.
To this day the Turkish Navy never recovered from this blow. However, the battle of Lepanto was the only success of the Holy League fleet as it was dismantled after the death of Don John of Austria who had been poisoned by his half-brother Philip II jealous of his success.
