Battle of Matapan

Battle of Matapan
Part of the Ottoman-Venetian War of 1714-18
Date 19 July 1717 Location Near Cape Matapan, southern Greece Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Republic of Venice Kingdom of Portugal Knights of Malta Papal States
Commanders
Kapudan Pasha Ibrahim Pasha	Lopo Furtado de Mendonça, 1st Count of Rio Grande
Strength
52 ships 4 galleys	33 ships 24 galleys 2 others
Casualties and losses
14 ships Unknown, but heavy[1]	3 ships 1,824 casualties[1]

The naval Battle of Matapan took place on 19 July 1717 off the Cape Matapan, on the coast of the Mani Peninsula in southern Greece, between the combined naval forces of Venice, Portugal, the Papal States and Malta, under Venetian commander Diedo, and the Ottoman fleet, under Kapudan Pasha Ibrahim Pasha. It was fairly indecisive although the Allied force lost 2 ships and had many badly damaged, while the Turks lost no ships.

Events

Diedo's 24 sailing ships met up with Pisani's 24 galleys and Maltese leader Belle Fontaine's 9 Portuguese-Maltese ships near Cape Matapan on 2 July. After trying separately to find an advantageous position with respect to the Turks for several weeks, occasionally having to land to find water, the Allied force went to Marathonisi, near the top of the Gulf of Matapan, to water. They had tried to make it to Sapienza but winds were against them and they took the risk of being caught in the gulf.

Despite having the galleys tow the sailing ships south, there were not enough galleys, and the Turks, with 52 sailing ships, including about 44 battleships, and 4 galleys, were seen to the south, at the west side of the bay entrance, on 19 July. With a light wind from the SSE, this meant that they had the advantage. Diedo, unable to sail to the west of the Turks, decided to sail slowly east, across the bay.

The fleet was in 4 divisions: Diedo was in the Van, which was led by his 2nd in command, Correr. The 3rd or Rear Division was commanded by Dolfin. The 4th or Allied Division was commanded by Belle Fontaine.

Ibrahim with 6 ships attacked the Rear Division at about 6am, while the rest of his fleet went ahead and attacked the Van and Center. At about 12pm the fleets were approaching the east side of the bay, and shortly after the leading ships turned, the wind turned from the SE, putting the leading Venetian ships to windward of some of the Turks for the first time. Taking advantage of this, Diedo attacked them and the tough battle continued. At about 3pm the Turks retired, sailing for the Cervi-Cerigo passage, while the Allies sailed for Cape Matapan. Neither side wished to continue the fight.

Each Allied state gave their own ships complete credit for any achievements. Some of these accounts are almost totally unreliable due to a variety of reasons--for example, their inclusion of forces which were not actually present for the battle, except for the portuguese. The portuguese destroyed the whole turkish flanc and not a single ship was destroyed.

The Venetians lost one battleship being used as a hospital ship and one fireship and many vessels were badly damaged. Their casualties were 223 killed and 357 wounded (some slight dispute over figures). The Turks lost 14 ships.

Ships involved

Christian Allies

Van Division

Madonna della Salute (Correr)
Madonna dell' Arsenal 70/80
Costanza 76/80
Trionfo 70/80 (flag)
San Pio V 70/80
Aquila Valiera
Leone Trionfante 80
San Francesco 60?
? (fireship, captain Trivisan) - Scuttled

Center and Rear Divisions

San Andrea 60
Sacra Lega 60
Valor Coronato 54
Nettuno 50/60
San Lorenzo Giustinian 70/80
Rosa 60
Fenice 56
Fede Guerriera 56
Corona 70/80
Columba d'Oro 70/80
Terror 70/80
Aquileta 50/60
San Pietro Apostolo 60?
Gloria Veneta 70/80
Grand Alessandro 70/80 (Rear flag of Dolfin)

Fourth Division

(first 7 Portuguese, last 2 Maltese)
Conceição 80
Nossa Senhora do Pilar 84
Assunção 66/70
Nossa Senhora das Necessidades 66
Santa Rosa 66/70
Rainha dos Anjos 56/58
São Lourenço 56
Fortuna Guerreira
Santa Caterina 70
San Raimondo 46

Unknown division

Nostra Signora del Rosario/Madonna del Rosario (converted from 60? to hospital ship) - Sunk

Galleys

13 Venetian
5 Maltese
4 Papal
2 Tuscan

Ottomans

52 sailing ships, including about 44 battleships
4 galleys

References

Sources

• História da Marinha de Portugal, Editora das Forças Armadas
• Anderson, Roger Charles (1952). Naval wars in the Levant 1559-1853. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 1-57898-538-2. 
• Lane, Frederic Chapin (1973). Venice, a Maritime Republic. JHU Press. ISBN 9780801814600.