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On September 16, 1571, a combined Christian fleet sailed from Messina in Sicily to seek out its Muslim counterpart. Prayers were offered by people who feared their culture, religion and perhaps their very lives depended on the fleet’s success. The ChristiaMalta and the Battle of Lepanto – October 7, 1571
On September 16, 1571, a combined Christian fleet sailed from Messina in Sicily to seek out its Muslim counterpart. Prayers were offered by people who feared their culture, religion and perhaps their very lives depended on the fleet’s success. The Christian fleet also included galleys of the Order of St John, then ruling Malta, which were to prove their mettle and worth in the ensuing maritime battle of Lepanto, fought out on October 7, 1571. The Ottoman (Turkish) danger to Western Europe was serious. It had been amply demonstrated on a number of occasions, including at Prevesa in 1538 and Djerba in 1560. The Turkish defeat in Malta in 1565 was an important check but it did not really impair Turkish naval strength in the Mediterranean. In February 1570, the Turkish demand on Venice to cede Cyprus was turned down, so the Muslims invaded that island in July. The Venetians appealed for help from Pope Pius V, who set about forming a Holy League against the Ottoman Empire. The saintly Pius V had long cherished the idea of rekindling a crusading spirit against the Ottomans, but when he first mooted the idea, there had been little enthusiasm because of the rivalries, jealousies and... Read more