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BATTLE // October 17, 1571

Battle of Lepanto

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Source · Wikipedia

Significance

The Battle of Lepanto, fought on 7 October 1571 in the Gulf of Patras, was the decisive naval engagement of the Ottoman–Venetian War of 1570–1573. A Holy League fleet assembled under papal initiative and built around the naval forces of the Spanish Empire and the Republic of Venice inflicted a major defeat on the Ottoman fleet, ending the engagement with Ottoman casualties estimated between 20,000 and 40,000 against Holy League losses of 7,500 to 10,000. The scale of the Ottoman defeat represented a significant check on Ottoman naval power in the Mediterranean during the course of the war.

Tactics

The Ottoman forces were sailing westward from their naval station in Lepanto when they encountered the Holy League fleet, which was sailing east from Messina, Sicily, in the Gulf of Patras. Beyond this directional approach of the two fleets, the overview does not describe the tactical dispositions, maneuvers, or terrain use employed during the engagement.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Holy League65,000
    medium
  • Ottoman Empire67,000
    medium

Both sides were near-evenly matched in numbers

Casualties

  • Holy League7,500–10,000
    medium13% loss rate
  • Ottoman Empire20,000–40,000
    medium45% loss rate
Order of battle →Casualties in detail →

Commanders (11)

Holy League

Ottoman Empire

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Related

1 sibling battles · 0 factions

Last verified July 2026
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