Holy League (1571)

The Holy League of 1571 was concluded on 20 May 1571 Rome between Pope Pius V., Spain, Venice and Genoa, to break the Ottoman supremacy in the Mediterranean and their expansionism. In addition, the duchies of Savoy, Florence, Parma, Urbino and the Knights of Malta belonged to.

Both the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation as well as France and Portugal showed no interest in this alliance. The empire preferred to maintain its separate peace with the Ottoman Empire, France preferred his active alliance with the Sultan against Spain and Portugal was too concerned with his own campaign in Morocco. In addition, the Portuguese were able to muster no other forces for another campaign in the Mediterranean, since they already actively grappled with the Ottomans in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

Originally, the fleet of the League relief column should bring to the then Venetian Cyprus, since this was conquered under Lala Mustafa in August 1571 (see also Cyprus was conquered by the Ottomans ). For various reasons - not least due to serious disagreements among the commanders of the various contingents - did not happen. Instead, and also because strong Ottoman naval units in the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Sea operated, the ships of the League ultimately collected in Messina, from where they then sailed to the Adriatic coast. On October 7, 1571 then came to the Battle of Lepanto south of the small Greek island of Oxia, in the fleet of the League, the Ottoman fleet under Ali Pasha suggested crushing under the command of Don Juan of Austria. After Venice in 1573 a separate peace with Constantine Opel closed and in the loss of Cyprus formally recognized, the league was dissolved.

• Turkish wars
• Military alliance
• Battle ( Order of Malta )
• History of Venice
• 1571