Lepanto: 455 Years Later

The Catholic Church commemorates the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto, which took place on October 7, 1571. During the battle, the Holy League fleet, commanded by Don Juan de Austria, defeated the Ottoman fleet in the Gulf of Lepanto.

Pope Pius V organized the coalition to address Ottoman threats to Mediterranean frontiers during the Reformation. The Holy League brought together various military forces, including the Spanish Empire under Philip II, the Republic of Venice, the Republic of Genoa, the Knights of Malta, and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.