For over a century after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Empire enjoyed an almost unbroken series of victories in Eastern Europe and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. In 1571, the Republic of Venice and Pope Pius V worked together to assemble an alliance of European powers to confront the Ottoman navy in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. This "Holy League" was driven, and almost torn apart, by a set of diverse and often competing motivations, but for one brief moment it was able to put aside its differences and raise a unified front against the massive Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. The outcome of that battle would have far-reaching consequences for Europe, for the Ottoman Empire and indeed for world history.
The defeat of the Ottomans by the Holy League fleet at Lepanto (1571) was among the most celebrated international events of the sixteenth century. The Battle of Lepanto anthologizes the work of twenty-two poets who composed Latin poetry in response to the news of the battle, the largest Mediterranean naval encounter since antiquity.
In 1521, Suleiman the Magnificent, Muslim ruler of the Ottoman Empire at the height of its power, dispatched an invasion fleet to the Christian island of Rhodes. This would prove to be the opening shot in an epic struggle between rival empires and faiths for control of the Mediterranean and the center of the world. In Empires of the Sea, acclaimed historian Roger Crowley has written his most mesmerizing work to date–a thrilling account of this brutal decades-long battle between Christendom and Islam for the soul of Europe, a fast-paced tale of spiraling intensity that ranges from Istanbul to the Gates of Gibraltar and features a cast of extraordinary characters: Barbarossa, “The King of Evil,” the pirate who terrified Europe; the risk-taking Emperor Charles V; the Knights of St. John, the last crusading order after the passing of the Templars; the messianic Pope Pius V; and the brilliant Christian admiral Don Juan of Austria. This struggle’s brutal climax came between 1565 and 1571, seven years that witnessed a fight to the finish decided in a series of bloody set pieces: the epic siege of Malta, in which a tiny band of Christian defenders defied the might of the Ottoman army; the savage battle for Cyprus; and the apocalyptic last-ditch defense of southern Europe at Lepanto–one of the single most shocking days in world history. At the close of this cataclysmic naval encounter, the carnage was so great that the victors could barely sail away “because of the countless corpses floating in the sea.” Lepanto fixed the frontiers of the Mediterranean world that we know today. Roger Crowley conjures up a wild cast of pirates, crusaders, and religious warriors struggling for supremacy and survival in a tale of slavery and galley warfare, desperate bravery and utter brutality, technology and Inca gold. Empires of the Sea is page-turning narrative history at its best–a story of extraordinary color and incident, rich in detail, full of surprises, and backed by a wealth of eyewitness accounts. It provides a crucial context for our own clash of civilizations.
In this compelling piece of narrative history, Capponi describes the clash between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League that led to the Battle of Lepanto and takes a fresh look at the bloody struggle at sea between oared fighting galleys and determined men of faith.
Hilaire Belloc called "Lepanto" Chesterton's greatest poem and the greatest poem of his generation. But not only have English classes neglected this masterpiece of rhyme and meter, History classes have neglected the story of the pivotal battle upon which the poem is based. This book brings together the poem, the historical background of the famous battle, a riveting account of the battle itself, and a discussion of its historical consequences. The poem is fully annotated, and is supplemented with two interesting essays by Chesterton himself. Well-known Chesterton expert, Dale Ahlquist, has gathered together all the insightful commentaries and explanatory notes. Here is the story behind the modern conflict between Christianity and Islam, between Protestant and Catholic Europe, and the origin of the Feast of the Holy Rosary. A fascinating blend of literature, history, religion and romance! "A valuable reference book that isalso a great read!" —Therese Warmus, Literary Editor, Gilbert Magazine G.K. Chesterton was one of the most prolific and renowned literary writers of the 20th Century. Dale Ahlquist, author of G.K. Chesterton: Apostle of Common Sense, is the President of the American Chesterton Society.
Interdisciplinary approach to the Iberian and Italian perceptions and representations of the Battle of Lepanto and the Muslim “other” The Battle of Lepanto, celebrated as the greatest triumph of Christianity over its Ottoman enemy, was soon transformed into a powerful myth through a vast media campaign. The varied storytelling and the many visual representations that contributed to shape the perception of the battle in Christian Europe are the focus of this book. In broader terms, Lepanto and Beyond also sheds light on the construction of religious alterity in the early modern Mediterranean. It presents cross-disciplinary case studies that explore the figure of the Muslim captive in historical documentation, artistic depictions, and literature. With a focus on the Republic of Genoa, the authors also aim to balance the historical scale and restore the important role of the Genoese in the general scholarly discussion of Lepanto and its images.
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The story of a Venetian-Albanian family in the late sixteenth century forms the basis of a sweeping account of the interaction between East and West Europe and the Ottoman Empire at a pivotal moment in history.
Every October 7, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. What many may not know is that this title was bestowed on the Blessed Mother after the Battle of Lepanto in 1571—the most epic sea battle in the history of Christendom. Lepanto’s Lady is based on the real-life events of the Battle of Lepanto and introduces readers to Rosa, a young girl from Amalfi who must use her strength and cunning to stay clear of slave traders and ruffians as she travels alone in search of her father, who has been captured by enemies. Can Rosa manage this treacherous journey with the help of newfound friends? How will she find and save her father? Lepanto’s Lady is a riveting tale that demonstrates the undeniable power of the Rosary. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
La più grande battaglia navale combattuta nel Mediterraneo negli ultimi duemila anni, una clamorosa vittoria per la flotta della Lega Santa che ha unito Venezia, la Spagna e il Papa contro il nemico ottomano. Una battaglia tutt'altro che decisiva, ma rimasta per sempre nella memoria collettiva... Basta guardare le galee ottomane e cristiane nelle splendide tavole di questo libro: nate dalla stessa tecnologia, dalla stessa civiltà; identiche se non per le bandiere che sventolano sull'albero maestro! The greatest naval battle fought in the Mediterranean in the last two thousand years, a resounding victory for the fleet of the Holy League that united Venice, Spain and the Pope against the Ottoman enemy. A battle that was anything but decisive, but remained forever in the collective memory... Just look at the Ottoman and Christian galleys in the splendid plates of this book: born from the same technology, from the same civilization; identical if not for the flags waving on the mast!
