445th Anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto 1571-2016

[Dawn Marie]

Battaglia di Lepanto - Batalla de Lepanto -  (1571)

Today is the 445th anniversary of one of the most important battles in European history: the Battle of Lepanto, called "the battle that saved Europe".

The battle took place in the Gulf of Patras off the coast of Greece on 7 October 1571. The Holy League (a Christian coalition organized by Pope Pius V, composed of Venice, Genoa, Tuscany, Urbino, Savoy, the Papal States, the Knights of Malta and the Spanish Empire with Naples and Sicily) defeated the Ottoman Empire, which was intent on conquering the West.

It was the first major victory of a Western Christian fleet against the Ottoman Empire. It was also was one of the largest naval battles of all time, being the largest naval engagement since the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Approximately 40.000 men died in 4 hours (equal to about 166 deaths per minute), the highest casualty rate of any battle until World War I. The battle remains the largest naval defeat inflicted against Muslims in history.

The Feast of Our Lady of Victory (also called Feast of the Holy Rosary) was instituted by the Church on 7 October to commemorate the battle.

Commanders of the Battle of Lepanto:

• Don Juan de Austria, first in command
• Marcantonio Colonna, second in command
• Agostino Barbarigo, left
• Giovanni Andrea Doria, right
• Álvaro de Bazán, rearguard
• Juan de Cardona, vanguard

[Agostino Barbarigo, Venetian commander of the left wing, was shot in the eye by an arrow. He continued to fight, but died of the wound two days later.]

[Susan]

The Banners of Lepanto

The above article is a very interesting rendering of the battle. 

Highly recommended....