Lepanto 1571: The Greatest Naval Battle of the Renaissance (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

by Angus Konstam (Author)

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About the Author

ANGUS KONSTAM hails from the Orkney Islands and is the author of over 20 books for Osprey. Formerly the Curator of Weapons in the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London, he also served as the Chief Curator of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. His maritime titles for Osprey include Elite 67: Pirates 1660-730, Elite 69: Buccaneers 1620-1700 and Elite 70: Elizabethan Sea Dogs 1560-1605. Angus lives in Edinburgh.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Praeger (September 14, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 96 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0275988570
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0275988579
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 0.5 x 9.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #8,487,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8,631 in Military History (Books)
- #13,664 in Naval Military History
- #25,370 in European History (Books)

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34 ratings

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Angus Konstam

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With over 50 history books in print, Angus is a widely recognised and much-published historian. While he specialises in military and naval history he has also written numerous more general history books, designed to make the subject more accessible to a wider audience. Uniquely he has been able to draw on his expertise as a senior museum curator who has worked on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as on his academic training as a historian and as a maritime archaeologist.

His latest book is a full-length biography: Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate, which is published by Wiley & Sons. of New York (June 2006)

Angus is also just finished writing a history of the Allied landings at Salerno in September 1943 for the British publisher Pen & Sword, and he is currently working on a new project, with the working title of Supership: The Quest for the Renaissance Battleship.

Angus lives in Edinburgh, in Scotland.

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Really Well Done-A Joy to Read

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2020

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When you purchase an Osprey Campaign Book, you never know what you are going to get. Many of the series books are painful to read. In so many books, the poor author is the world's foremost expert on some obscure campaign or battle and while trying to present the love of their life, the author gets painfully lost in obscure details. Fortunately, Angus Konstam is not one of those authors. The man can write! "Lepanto 1571" was a pure joy to read. Highly recommended!

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brendan f kelly

As per usual, Osprey book is magnificent

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2021

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It's is an Osprey book, which means it will be readable, accurate, well written, and with great visuals. This one is even above and beyond Osprey's usual standard though. The original artwork is magnificent, and the level of detail (including complete lists of the ships engaged on each side!) not to mention the excellent maps is truly impressive. This book goes "above and beyond" even Osprey's high standards.

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Mike Dillemuth

A Great Book About A Great Battle

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2006

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This book sets the standard for all books in the Osprey Campaign series. It focuses on the battle, is well organized, and easy to read. Konstam and Bryan should be commended for a job well done. Anyone who has read an Osprey Campaign book will recognizes the familiar organization of the chapters. Essentially, the authors improve upon this well established pattern through effective writing.

The chapter on Opposing Commanders provides a good example. A paragraph is devoted to each relevant character. In addition, the individual's name is highlighted in bold at the beginning of each paragraph. This simple element allows the reader to easily refer back to this chapter as needed.

A significant portion of this book is focused on the battle itself. Although one might think this obvious, it is not the case in all Osprey books. The Battle of Lepanto consisted of action between three smaller divisions, the North, Center, and Southern "Battles." The author takes the time to inform the reader that he will discuss each action in its entirety instead of covering the whole battle simultaneously. The point is that the reader knows what the author is doing and doesn't have to guess.

The Battle of Lepanto contains several significant figures, multiple countries, and a battle that has three significant actions. The complexity of this battle provides numerous opportunities for an author to write a confusing and jumbled narrative. The fact that Konstam and Bryan cover this battle in a clear and easy to read fashion is commendable. As noted above, this book sets the standard for which all Osprey books should strive to reach.

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Stephen P. Ford

Well-researched information on the origin of the campaign, the opposing fleets, commanders, naval strategy, the battle itself

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2013

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I have been very pleased with and impressed with the quality of Osprey publications. The Campaign series are focused on military campaigns from ancient times through the current era. I have found the books in the Osprey Campaign series to be a great source and frequently the only source for well-researched information on military campaigns especially in the ancient campaigns through early 20th century campaigns. Lepanto 1571 provides detail on the origin of the campaign and the Christian and Muslim opposing fleets, commanders, naval strategy, the battle itself and the aftermath of this decisive battle.

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fatcat

very informative

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2021

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after all the back story is covered, it comes down to the greatest galley-naval battle fought on wooden decks. not much maneuvering , one cannon blast and then boarding parties away....

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R. A Forczyk

The High-water Mark for Islam

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2003

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Modern readers accustomed to reading about Western military interventions in the Mideast should take time to consider the other swing of the pendulum. Osprey's Campaign #114, Lepanto 1571, is an excellent introduction to a time when Islam literally wielded a knife at Christian Europe's throat. Written by naval expert Angus Konstam, Lepanto 1571 is a clear and concise account of one of the most decisive naval battles ever fought, and one that also marked the high-water mark for Islamic aggression. Konstam does an excellent job detailing the various factors of strategy, leadership and ship design that resulted in this epic clash off the west coast of Greece.
Lepanto 1571 begins with a short introduction and a campaign chronology. The sections on opposing commanders, opposing fleets and orders of battle cover thirteen pages. The section on opposing plans is quite good, followed by 17 pages on the early phases of the campaign and 39 pages on the battle itself. The maps are one of the strong suites in this volume and they comprise five 2-D maps (strategic situation in 1570-1571, the Cyprus campaign in 1570, the advance to Lepanto, the fleets close, the morning of Lepanto) and three 3-D "Birds Eye View" maps of the Battle of Lepanto. The three battle scenes (the battle lines close, the Venetian galleasses break up the Turkish line, and the flight of Uluch Ali) are decent - particularly for illustrating the colorful paint schemes of the galleys on both sides - but not great. It is also apparent that the author has done his research well on this subject and the bibliography is more than adequate for a volume this size.
Konstam notes that it was the diplomatic intervention of Pope Pius V that resulted in the creation of the Holy League - an alliance of Spain, Venice, Genoa and other Christian states - that was the only "force capable of standing up to the Turks." Without this Papal involvement (which included 15% financing and troops), the Turks would have picked off the Christian states piecemeal. Even so, the League was always tenuous and threatened to fall apart on the eve of battle. After the victory at Lepanto at the death of Pope Pius V, the League did indeed disintegrate. Lepanto 1571 is a fine example of the problems of coalition operations even when faced with a dire threat.
It is also apparent that even by 1571, Islam was beginning to fall behind the West militarily. Konstam notes that the six large Venetian galleasses "in the Christian fleet virtually amounted to a secret weapon, and represented the ultimate development of the oared warship." Indeed, the allies were so confident about the galleasses that they deployed them as an advance guard in front of the main battle line and these heavily armed ships were critical in disrupting the Muslim attack. It is also interesting that the allied fleet, under Don John, based its plan on firepower rather than maneuver. Although the rival fleets were equal in size, the Christians had 200 more guns than the Muslim fleet and they made it the centerpiece of their tactical plan. Indeed, Don John ordered all wooden rams to be removed prior to the battle in order to give the guns better fields of fire. While the Christians put their faith in artillery fire, the Muslim plan was based on maneuver. The Muslim fleet had a number of smaller, more maneuverable craft and they hoped to use these to envelope the Christian battle line. However, Muslim scouts erroneously reported that the Christian fleet was only about half its actual size and thus their fleet was committed to battle on the false assumption of numerical superiority.
Konstam also does an excellent job portraying the ferocity of the Turkish war machine in the 16th Century, when Islam was a dangerous and aggressive force. As a prelude to the Lepanto campaign, the Turks invaded Christian-held Cyprus in 1570; when the city of Nicosia fell after a brief siege, the Turks slaughtered virtually the entire Christian population of 20,000. The city of Famagusta held out for nine months and only surrendered when the Turks agreed to spare the garrison and civilians. Instead, the Turks abrogated the terms and massacred the unarmed Venetians. The Venetian commander was flayed alive in the town square. Throughout this period, the Turks were brutal aggressors and Europeans suffered many defeats at their hands. Indeed, it is amazing how this period of Islamic aggression - which lasted for centuries - is now conveniently forgotten by Muslim politicians in the Mideast who constantly denounce "Western aggression."
Lepanto was a tough fight, with 85% of the Turkish fleet lost and 30% of the victorious Christian soldiers and sailors killed or wounded. Although the Turkish tactical maneuvers almost upset the European battle plan, it was Christian gunnery and the courage of desperation that led to the final result. Konstam notes that while the Muslim setback in 1565 had been troubling, that it was not until the catastrophe at Lepanto that Islamic aggression in the Mediterranean was permanently contained.

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Alberto García

Ni una queja

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019

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Excelente, como todo lo de Osprey. Las ilustraciones muestran claramente las tacticas militares. Y las descripciones de los comandantes implicados y las formaciones son de lo mejor. El libro llegó en tiempo y en forma en perfecto estado.

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Christian G. Cameron

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2016

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An excellent survey

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UK customer

Really recommended

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 14, 2021

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Comprehensive story about Lepanto'1571. I do recommend it.

James Davies

First class

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2020

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Great quality

Amazon Customer

and I must say that I have thouroughly enjoyed it.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2016

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Just Finished this book today, and I must say that I have thouroughly enjoyed it.

IB

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2015

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I like it.

Amazon Customer

Great detail. Visited Italy-Venice this Summer (Palazzo Ducale) and ...

Reviewed in Canada on October 22, 2016

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Great detail. Visited Italy-Venice this Summer (Palazzo Ducale) and wanted to know more about the battle. Great detail and description of the circumstances of the fighting and the commanders. The artwork is not the best from all the osprey series.

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Lepanto 1571: The Greatest Naval Battle of the Renaissance (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

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