The Fall of Navarino was a military engagement between the Ottoman and Venetian garrison in the fort of Navarino. The battle ended in Ottoman victory and the subsequent recapture of Navarino.
| Fall of Navarino (1501) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Ottoman–Venetian War (1499–1503) | |||||||||
_(3).jpg) Navarino castle | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Republic of Venice |
 Ottoman Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Carlo Contarini  |
 Hadım Ali Pasha Kemal Reis Piri Reis | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
4–8 ships 2,000 men | 22–30 ships | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
All ships captured Entire garrison slain | Unknown | ||||||||
Background
editWhen the news reached Pope Alexander VI regarding the fall of Coron, Navarino, and Modon by the Ottomans, he dispatched papal legates to Europe calling for a Crusade. France, Hungary, and Spain answered the call. The Crusader fleet composed of French, Spanish, Papal, and Venetian ships, set out in autumn and easily captured Cephalonia in 1500. On December 3,[1] the Venetians led by Benedetto Pesaro managed to recapture Navarino with 1 galley carrying 50 men. They successfully recaptured the castle using ruse.[2] When the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II learned of the Venetian recapture, he dispatched a joint land and navy forces to recapture the city. The navy was led by Kemal Reis while the land forces led by Hadım Ali Pasha.[3]
Battle
editThe Ottomans arrived on 28 May, 1501.[4] The Venetian garrison was led by Carlo Contarini.[5] They had a garrison of 2,000 men[6] and either four or eight ships in the harbor. The Ottoman navy had between 22 or 30 ships.[7] The attack began when Kemal Reis assaulted the harbor. In the following battle, the Ottomans emerged victorious with all Venetian ships captured and the death or capture several crewmen.[8][9] Afterwards, the land forces under Hadim Ali Pasha assaulted and scaled the walls, captured several commanders and began slaughtering inside.[10] In the end of the day, all Venetians ships were captured and the entire garrison was slained.[11] Seeing the battle was lost, Contarini surrendered and asked for free passage to the island of Corfu which the Ottoman agreed.[12] Kemal Reis's nephew, Piri Reis, participated in the naval battle.[13]
Aftermath
editReferences
edit- ↑ Kenneth M. Setton, p. 350
- ↑ Gordon Ellyson Abercrombie
- ↑ Christine Isom-Verhaaren, p. 94
- ↑ Kenneth M. Setton, p. 351
- ↑ Vincenzo Errante, p. 25
- ↑ Gordon Ellyson Abercrombie
- ↑ Christine Isom-Verhaaren, p. 94-95
- ↑ Christine Isom-Verhaaren, p. 94-95
- ↑ James Mitchell, p. 23
- ↑ James Mitchell, p. 23
- ↑ Gordon Ellyson Abercrombie
- ↑ Vincenzo Errante, p. 26
- ↑ Christine Isom-Verhaaren, p. 95
- ↑ Vincenzo Errante, p. 26
- ↑ Christine Isom-Verhaaren, p. 95